Somerset League Div Two: North Petherton (35) 235-9 bt Temple Cloud (17) 178 by 57 runs
IN THEIR inaugural match at Heathfield Park, North Petherton produced an excellent, all-round performance to beat their much-fancied visitors.
Home skipper Tom Williams was asked to bat first on the beautifully-prepared, but as yet untried wicket. Temple made life difficult for Petherton with some first-rate bowling to see the early departures of Ian Hucker and fellow opener Lloyd Irish.
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Keith Williams and Owen Irish attempted to guide the innings back on course. At 40-2, Irish fell for a patient 20. Once settled, Tom Williams started to dominate with some wonderfully-timed strokes.
When Williams snr went for 26, with Petherton 80-4, Adrian Jones and Williams started to up the pace a little and Petherton began to gain some ascendancy for the first time.
Jones made a fine 26, then the score moved on to 170-5 after 35 overs before skipper Williams mistimed a lofted drive to depart for an excellent 49. A quickfire 12 by Jim Baker and a superb lower-order stand between Tim Gibbs (34) and Ali Bunce (13) took the home side to a very competitive 235-9.
Temple's reply faltered early on, with the usually-immovable Hayne out fourth ball for a duck, nicking one to the keeper off of the fiery Gibbs (1-39 off seven). They recovered well to 80-1 until an excellent run-out from Bunce removed Sheppard (23) and Lewis Irish (1-24 off seven) had the dangerous Kevin Curtis (28) caught by Ian Bishop.
Bishop and Bunce caused some different problems for the middle order, Bunce (1-41 off 12) removing S McHale for 34 and Bishop (1-29 off seven) accounting for S Curtis (18).
At 130-5, the game was moving away from the visitors, who were unable to cope with Hucker and his wily legspin. He ended any remaining resistance to return outstanding figures of 5-37 off six overs and Temple were all out for 178s.
With Petherton's young side (seven players of 23 or less) fielding superbly, including other catches of note from Baker, Owen Irish and Gibbs, it was a great team performance to pick up maximum points.
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