WEPL Premier One

Bridgwater 237-9 beat Ilminster 233-6 by one wicket

ANDY Roberts hit the last ball of the game for four as Bridgwater edged out Ilminster by just one wicket in front of a bumper crowd at The Parks on Saturday.

Bridgwater skipper Steve Davis inserted the visitors following some heavy overnight rain but Bridgwater’s bowling was somewhat lacklustre as they struggled to make breakthroughs into the Ilminster top order.

A fantastic piece of fielding from Chris Singleton saw Bridgwater pick up the prized scalp of Kraucamp with the score at 35-1, however, Ilminster built their innings steadily thereafter as Charlie Vickery and John Warry (both 57) put on over a hundred for the second wicket.

The introduction of Dan van der berg’s (4-49) left arm seamers changed the innings for the home side, as Bridgwater finally managed to put the opposition under some pressure and did well to keep the Ilminster total to just 233 considering that the visitors had kept wickets in hand for most of the innings.

In reply, Bridgwater lost Steve Davis in the third over - and were 27-2 when Barrett (12) was adjudged lbw to Kraucamp.

Mitch Windsor (20) and George Bartlett (48) got the chase moving as they took the score to 89.

However, once again Bridgwater’s middle order frailty that has been so prominent this season came to the fore as some poor shot selection saw the home side collapse from 89-3 to 117-7.

Stu Butt (47) survived the collapse and batted with great control despite the home side looking dead and buried. Chris Skidmore departed with the score on 145 but Andy Roberts joined Butt at the crease as Bridgwater began to feel like they still had a chance.

Butt was out caught and bowled off the bowling of Vickery with Bridgwater still requiring 56 to win from 6.2 overs. However, Roberts and Singleton (21*) refused to give up as the total moved above 200.

Eventually it came down to the very last over of the game but Roberts calmly dispatched the last ball for four sending the home support into raptures.

Robert’s fine knock of 51* came from just 37 balls and included four fours and three sixes as Bridgwater narrowly escaped with a priceless victory against the league’s bottom placed team.

Bridgwater entertain Bath at The Parks next week whilst the second XI travel to Bath for the reverse fixture.

Bridgwater would like to thanks sponsors TMB patterns, Higos Insurance Services and Falcon Vehicle solutions.