WEPL Premier 1
Bridgwater 378-5 beat Bedminster 219 by 159 runs

BRIDGWATER got their league campaign up and running in emphatic style with a 159-run win over Bedminster at a sun-drenched Parks on Saturday.

The victory was largely decided by a 269-run stand for the second wicket between skipper Andrew Hallaran (141) and overseas player Ian Dev Singh Chauhan (146*) as the pair pummelled the Bedminster bowlers to all parts of the ground, setting an imposing target of 378.

On winning the toss, Hallaran batted first, and Liam Kitch (15) took the score to 39.

Chauhan replaced Kitch and he and Hallaran produced a masterclass of batsmanship to take the score past the 300-mark before Hallaran fell for 141 from 133 balls with 19 fours and five sixes.

Chauhan looks a quite superb signing and showed all his experience and class to bat the remainder of the innings, finishing undefeated on 146 from 116 balls, with 18 fours and three sixes.

A brief cameo 19 from Somerset Academy’s Will Smeed left Bridgwater to set an imposing 378-5 from their 50 overs with only Neill (3-33) stemming the flow of the Bridgwater onslaught.

After tea, Chris Skidmore took two wickets in his second over and, when Bedminster tried to sneak a single to Max Waller, he shied down the stumps to dismiss Drissell for a duck, leaving Bedminster on 5-3.

Andrew Roberts bowled well from the top end and Waller came into the attack to work his way through the visitors’ middle order.

As a result, Bedminster collapsed to 77-7 before Tom Pugsley then dug in and supported opener Miles Hamond, who had looked in good touch while watching the carnage from the bowlers’ end.

Hammond played well for his 68, and Pugsley marshalled the tail very well, seeing his side to 219 when Roberts (1-25) picked up the final wicket, meaning Bridgwater could enjoy their first league win of the season.

Chris Skidmore (3-29) and Waller (3-20) led the attack superbly and there was a wicket apiece for Andrew Skidmore (1-52) and Chauhan (1-18).

Many thanks to match day sponsors The Cottage, Wembdon, and matchball sponsors TMB Patterns Ltd.

On Saturday, the 1st XI are on the road to Potterne with the 2nds hosting Yeovil (12:30pm).

BRIDGWATER put up a determined performance only to lose out to Clevedon at the Parks on Sunday.

The visitors batted well throughout to set a competitive 237-7 from their 40 overs.

The home side struggled to impose themselves with the bat and, despite Liam Kitch (42), Chris Skidmore (42), Kyran Devitt (36) and Andrew Skidmore (32), Bridgwater’s 191-9 was not enough.

WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Som

Lansdown 120-4 beat Shapwick & Polden 117 by 6 wkts

HAVING lost the toss and been inserted, Shapwick lost captain Stephen Tinnion for no score in the second over, with Will Mason (1) and Ross Jenkins (0) following shortly after. 

With memories of last year’s 50 all out flooding back, Sam Edmunds set about rebuilding.

He played a lone hand, with his 48 the only notable contribution despite support from Wayne Spencer (1), John Stratton (7) and Ben Rudge (9) who occupied the crease for periods of time without contributing hugely in the run count.

As seems to be common after a drinks break, a wicket followed before more fell very quickly and, despite the last wicket partnership of Steve Coppell and Joe Mason getting the total to 117, Shapwick were all out for a disappointingly low total.

Knowing early wickets were vital, Coppell and Jenkins bowled with aggression and the former clean bowled the Smith brothers, giving Shapwick a glimmer of hope at 24-2.

It was slow going on a tricky pitch, but the Lansdown middle order chipped in and ground their way to 50 before Coppell (3-24) had Thorpe caught at mid-off. 

Spencer picked up the wicket of Allen, caught well by Mason at mid-on. 

The new batsman took the attack to the Shapwick spinners and quickly ended any slim hope, ultimately running out what looks to be comfortable six wickets winners, but it was a little nervier than the scorecard suggests for the away side.

Shapwick 1sts have no game next week but play in the National 20/20 at Conregsbury on Sunday, with Clevedon also there.

Last Sunday, Shapwick beat North Petherton by eight wickets in the first round of the National Village KO Cup.

Having won the toss, Shapwick were immediately on top with an impressive opening spell from Stringer picking up two wickets and bowling with real speed.

Haggett and Lang also grabbed a brace and young Dukes picked up a maiden first team wicket following good work from ‘keeper Smith’s leg-side stumping.

Edmunds continued his form, making an unbeaten half-century, with contributions from the Luckins brothers and Smith, chasing the 106 North Petherton posted, for the loss of two wickets inside 20 overs.

The next round is due to played on the last Sunday in May. 

WEPL Somerset

North Perrott 168-2 beat Wembdon 167 by 8 wkts

WEMBDON welcomed North Perrott to The Green on the toss and were put in to bat, writes Dan Bingham.

The openers made a positive start, striking a few early boundaries and running well.

With the score on 31, Jack Lowe had a fine edge caught by the wicketkeeper to see him on his way. 

Sam Puddy joined Bingham and the pair took the score past 50 before a running mix-up left Bingham (22) stranded.

All the middle order made starts but only Puddy went past 20.

Skipper Jon Brockwell fell for 15 and Wembdon crumbled from 98-3 to 133-9 in an all-too-familiar display of batters getting themselves out rather than great bowling.

A determined display by Aaron Rees (10*) and Alastair Cook (12) took Wembdon to a more respectable total of 167 all out from 38 overs.
North Perrott’s response was a watchful one and without risk.

The opening bowlers gave a great display of swing bowling without reward.

It was spin that brought the breakthrough with Henry (1-22) bowling Retter (36) and a handful of balls later Puddy (1-32) bowled Taylor for a duck.

Perrott were 64-2 but had eaten up a number of overs against some very economical bowling.

G Whorlow (71) and new skipper J Symes (38) showed their class sharing a 100-run stand to see North Perrott home with six overs remaining and a comfortable eight-wicket victory.

Wembdon 1st XI are away to North Petherton on Saturday and are confident everything will click in to place in the coming games.

WEPL Somerset

Minehead 287-7 beat North Petherton 214 by 73 runs

NORTH Petherton suffered defeat in their second WEPL Somerset match of the season, going down by 73 runs after Minehead’s Jay Darrell ran through their lower order. 

Pethy won the toss and put their hosts into bat, but there was no breakthrough until Minehead had 50 runs on the board, Scott Briffett removing Freddie Wilson (31).

Ian Buchanan (15) soon followed, as Liam Winter claimed his first wicket of the day. 

The third-wicket partnership of Dan Bowditch (86) and Bradley Martin (69) turned the tide in the home side’s favour.
Paul Short (2-45) removed both, but Minehead were looking good on 222-4.

Alastair Harrison added 29 and Stephen Hayes an unbeaten 24, to take their side to 287-7 from their 50 overs, with Winter taking 3-37 for Pethy.

The reply began badly, with both Harry Bowditch (6) and Liam Winter (0) removed by Hayes (2-30) with the score on seven, and when Tom Williams fell for 14, the visitors were 30-3.

Pethy needed a partnership, and it came courtesy of Ryan Meppem and Short, the fourth-wicket stand taking the tally up to 167 when Short fell for 58.

Overseas player Meppem hit 10 fours in his 83 but when he was removed by Darrell at 199-5, things went downhill fast.

Darrell (5-10) and Ellis Taylor (2-17) ran through Pethy’s remaining batsmen, the away side slumping from 208-6 to 214 all out.

WEPL Somerset
Bridgwater 2nds 184-5 beat Uphill Castle 183 by 5 wkts

BRIDGWATER 2nd XI made it two wins from two, winning away to Uphill Castle as Dan Rossiter top scored with 86.

The visitors elected to field first, and had early joy when Rossiter (2-22) reduced the hosts to 26-2.

Matt Habberfield (2-48) Kyran Devitt (2-37) and Kieran Windsor (3-39) also took wickets to leave a target of 184 to win.

Rossiter plundered 14 fours and two sixes on his way to 86, with Jonathan Vickery adding 21 and Alastair Witts 25.

Ed Habberfield (17*) and Windsor (16*) finished the job with 10.1 overs to spare.