West of England Premier League
Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset
Winterbourne 272-9 beat Ilminster 216-9 by 56 runs

ILMINSTER were put to the sword by two Gloucestershire professionals at Winterbourne on Saturday.

James Bracey, who had made an unbeaten Royal London One-Day Cup century against Essex the previous Tuesday, opened up with Glos skipper Chris Dent after the visitors won the toss and chose to field.

The pair proceeded to put on 131, both making half-centuries, before Dent was caught by Louis Kraucamp from the bowling of Charlie Vickery for 61.

This brought Bracey’s brother, Sam, to the crease, and the duo continued where the openers left off before James Bracey fell to Vickery six short of his ton.

Ilminster staged a fightback with the ball thereafter, Harry Montacute taking 3-44 and Matt Davis 2-24 as Winterbourne posted 272-9, Sam Bracey having been dismissed towards the end of the innings for 68.

Ilminster’s reply started well, with Kraucamp and Jonny Warry adding 69 for the first wicket, but both fell for 30 - two of several visiting batsmen to make starts but not kick on.

The away side still had a glimmer of hope when Keelan Ashby and Davis were together, but Ashby’s departure for 52 (three fours and four sixes) left Ilminster on 189-6.

A late flurry of wickets saw Ilminster end on 216-9, George Ford claiming 4-30 and Dent adding 2-25 from 10 to his earlier runs.

Ilminster host Shapwick & Polden on Saturday (12.30pm start), for a match between two sides looking for their first win.

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WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset
North Perrott 147-5 beat Bishopston 143 by 5 wkts

NORTH Perrott made it two wins from two as a newly-promoted side in Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset, beating Bishopston by five wickets on Saturday.

The visitors to Willis Lane won the toss and opted to bat first, but were struggling at 33-2, as Josh Marshall-James (2-19) and Jack Henderson (4-21).

Lorraine Szczepanski (1-37) then struck to leave Bishopston 59-4, only for Mark Coombes (44) and David O’Brien (25) to stage a recovery.

That took them up to 120, but when Henderson made the breakthrough by clean bowling Coombes, Bishopston’s days were numbered.

From 120-4 they fell to 134-7, and then 143 all out, as Henderson and George Retter (2-17) mopped up the tail in 44.3 overs.

Perrott’s reply got off to an inauspicious start, Retter falling to leave his side 7-1, but Gordon Whorlow (16) and Alex Eckland (50) steadied matters.

Both were dismissed with the score below 100, but New Zealander Henderson followed up his impressive bowling performance with his own half-century.

Henderson was eventually out for 50, caught off Daaryoush Ahmed at 140-4, and although Pete Moxom then fell for a duck, skipper Jake Symes (18no) finished the job in 43.3 overs.

Perrott sit alongside Midsomer Norton, Taunton Deane and Winterbourne with two wins out of two at the top of the early standings, and this coming Saturday sees them travel to Keynsham (12.30pm).