Somerset Major Cup Final
Bridgwater 123-2 beat Weston 119 by 8 wkts

THERE were scenes of delight at the County Ground for Bridgwater as they produced an emphatic display to comfortably see off their Weston counterparts on Sunday.

Chris Skidmore (0-18) and former Somerset professional Steffan Jones (0-29) set the tone with just two runs coming from the first two overs, thanks to a mix of accurate bowling and sharp fielding, particularly from Chris Gange at cover.

Weston kept their wickets in tact but their scoring rate was kept at bay and, despite a spilled catch in the deep, they only mustered 32-0 from the first seven overs.

The breakthrough came through Ed Habberfield (2-25) as ex-Somerset wicketkeeper Rob Turner snicked the ball behind for Stuart Standerwick to make no mistake.

Standerwick was then in action again – firstly, to give slow-left armer Mitchell Windsor his first wicket of the day, then keeping hold of one for Habberfield’s second dismissal – to reduce Weston to 59-3.

The scoring slowed and Windsor (3-19) produced a man-of-the-match display with the ball to tie one end down and keep taking wickets as Weston fell to 78-6 thanks to a catch in the deep and a run-out from Skidmore.

Weston re-grouped and ground out 119 from their 20 overs but it was little match for the in-form Bridgwater batsmen as openers Andy Hallaran and Mike Coles swatted the Weston bowlers into the crowd.

Coles (65) hit five 4s and a 6 to help Bridgwater race to 40-0 after four overs. The pair settled down after tight bowling from the Weston spinners but Coles brought up his half-century in the 14th over with consecutive boundaries.

Hallaran (41), who started the more conservatively of the pair, opened up to smash three 4s and a 6 and leave the team on the brink of victory.

Coles was bowled and Hallaran caught from a top edge but Gange (8) launched a 6 into the crowd to wrap up a convicning win.

Speaking after the match, skipper Coles said: “Hopefully, this can be the first of some more silverware this season. It would have been nice not to lose a wicket but it was a great performance from the boys.”

Team: Andrew Hallaran, Michael Coles (c), Chris Gange, Stuart Butt, Josh Vickery, Mitch Windsor, Steffan Jones, Ed Habberfield, Chris Skidmore, Stuart Standerwick (wk), Scott Clapp and Ian Bishop.

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