A PARTNERSHIP of 142 between Mitch Windsor and Stuart Butt helped Bridgwater to a 34-run victory over league-leaders Bath at North Parade on Saturday.

Windsor (69) and Butt (65) combined for a match-winning third-wicket partnership, as Bridgwater posted 231 from their 50 overs. Seamers Robbie Montgomery (4-42) and Tom Drake (3-31) then cut through the middle-order to seal a hard-fought victory for the visitors.

Bridgwater skipper Mike Coles won the toss and chose to bat first, and he led the way with an aggressive 23 before he and Andy Hallaran (8) fell with the score on 38.

This brought together Windsor and Butt, with the latter back in the first XI for the first time since breaking his finger two months ago.

The pair batted sensibly in the face of an excellent first spell from Adam Kelly (4-38), who was the pick of the home side's bowling.

Cautiously at first, then with growing confidence, Windsor and Butt took the score to 180, before Windsor holed out shortly after striking three sixes. This triggered a collapse as only Ian Bishop (17) and Todd Barrett (12) could muster any sort of score after Butt had been caught off the bowling of the impressive Kelly.

From here, Bridgwater fell to 231 all out in the final over of the innings as they failed to capitalise on the strong foundations laid by Windsor and Butt.Bath's reply got off to a steady start, before their skipper Robin Lett (8) was well held by Mitch Windsor, standing up to the stumps off the bowling of Tom Drake.

Somerset batsman Alex Barrow joined the fray and scored a classy 25 before he played across the line to Mike Coles and was bowled.

The home side's middle order played powerfully and at 155-3 had put themselves in a good position to win the game, despite a miserly first spell from Somerset's George Dockrell (2-20), who had joined Bridgwater during the week.

Everything changed however, as the returning Robbie Montgomery (4-42) found his length - taking two wickets in his fifth over and two more in his eighth, including the dangerous Sam Mount for a duck, who had scored hundreds in his last two innings against the visitors.It was now the home side's turn to collapse as Drake (3-31) returned to get Padgett brilliantly stumped by Windsor off of a leg side wide, before having Kelly well caught at short-cover by Dockrell as the Bath innings folded for 197.

## Match Travel Sponsor: Falcon Vehicle Solutions and Higos Insurance Services Ltd.

## Next Saturday, Bridgwater host Bristol at The Parks (12.30pm) while the 2nd X1 travel for the reverse fixture. On Sunday 28th July, Bridgwater 2nds travel to Westlands in Yeovil for their SCB Intermediate Cup Semi Final with a 2pm start.