WEPL Premier 1
Potterne 277-2 beat Bridgwater 274-8 by 8 wkts

BRIDGWATER’S bowling attack were put to the sword as Potterne comfortably completed a tough-looking chase on Saturday.

Having won the toss and opted to bat first, Bridgwater began steadily before Liam Kitch (13) was run out with the score on 27.

Last weekend’s centurions Andrew Hallaran and Ian Dev Chauhan joined forces and took the score to 60, at which point Hallaran fell for 28, and Chauhan made 35 before he was stumped.

George Bartlett, making his first Bridgwater appearance of the season having impressed for Somerset in the County Championship so far, was the anchor of the innings and made 84 from 77 balls.

He was well supported by Kyran Devitt (35) and Scott Clapp (20*) as the visitors finished their 50 overs on 274-8.

In reply, Andrew Roberts claimed the early scalp of Dylan Higgins (8), who was caught by Stuart Butt.

Thomas Cullen and Basil Akram then added 147 for the second wicket, with the latter clearing the ropes four times and hitting eight fours in his 76 before Roberts (2-54) returned to have him caught by Bartlett.

Edward Young simply continued where Akram had left off, however, striking six fours and five sixes in an unbeaten 78 from just 55 balls, while at the other end Cullen reached his century and ended on 104 not out as Potterne claimed victory with 7.1 overs to spare.

On Saturday, Bridgwater are back on home soil as they welcome Bristol to The Parks (12.30pm).

WEPL Somerset Division
North Petherton 224-7 tied with Wembdon 224-8

WEMBDON’S derby with North Petherton ended in a thrilling tie on Saturday.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat, with their innings opened by Dan Bingham and Jack Lowe, who shared a stand of 45 off 16 overs before Lowe fell for 11.

Sam Puddy, searching for some form, came and went quickly after mistiming an Alistair Bunce delivery.

Bridgwater Mercury:

ACTION: Paul Short bowls for North Petherton against Wembdon

Jonathan Brockwell joined Bingham to rebuild and, with the score on 65, Bingham (37) was bowled by Ryan Meppem.

Although Brockwell remained, he lost two more partners in the space of eight overs – Liam Pigden (10) and Josh Henry (3) both falling to Lewis Knight (2-21).

The innings had reached 86-5 when Karl Trunks joined Brockwell for a match-defining stand of 108 in 11 overs.

Trunks blasted an impressive 42 from 28 deliveries before being caught off Will Pope (3-48), and Brockwell departed one over later – again to Pope – for 85 from 75 balls.

Bridgwater Mercury:

WELL BOWLED: Will Pope took two wickets for North Petherton

Sam Williams (15) and Max Sellick (6*) pushed Wembdon towards maximum batting points in the final five overs, eventually finishing one run short, on 224-8 from 50 overs. 

In reply, Wembdon had to wait until the 11th over, when Annison trapped Bowditch (19) lbw, for the first wicket.

A stand of 55 for the second wicket between Williams and Nick Revans kept Pethy in the hunt, with both batters taking a few blows from a fiery spell by Williams and Sellick.

Introducing spin brought about a flurry of wickets, as the hosts lost five wickets for just 37 runs, Henry claiming 3-46 and Puddy 2-35.

When Adam Burns (12) was run out by Brockwell, Pethy looked on the ropes at 133-7. 

Up stepped Lewis Knight, and supported by Lewis Winter he clawed Pethy back into the game.

The home side required 60 from the final six overs, but some poor death bowling, with too many extras conceded, made the game tighter.

When 16 came from the penultimate over, the visitors were convinced they had thrown victory away.

Brockwell returned for the final over with Pethy requiring seven, which became two from the final ball.

Knight failed to hit the ball, but the pair ran to claim a bye and tie the fixture - Knight finished on 43 and Winter 39.

This Saturday, Wembdon welcome Staplegrove to The Green on Saturday (12.30pm start), while Pethy travel to Uphill Castle.

Bridgwater Mercury:

SHOT: Jonathan Brockwell hits out against North Petherton

Wembdon wish to thank sponsors Wembdon Crickets (Skittles) and NMK Paving Specialists.

On Sunday, Wembdon Ladies made 126 without loss as Lois Sellick (52) hit the first ever half-century by a Wembdon women’s player. 

But Staplegrove Ladies chased the total down off the final ball of the match.

WEPL Somerset Division
Bridgwater 2nds 113-6 beat Yeovil 112 by 4 wkts

BRIDGWATER 2nds kept up their perfect start to the WEPL Somerset season with a third win on the spin as they saw off Yeovil in a low-scoring encounter on Saturday.

Yeovil won the toss and chose to bat but were soon in trouble as fine bowling from Ian Higgins (3-20), Kieran Windsor (2-15) and Harrison Buller (1-18) saw the visitors collapse from 21-0 to 30-6.

Tom Bellinger was then introduced, and he took three quick wickets to leave Yeovil staring down the barrel at 58-9.

Final pair Duncan McCabe (32*) and Clive Higgins (24) spared their blushes, adding 54 for the last wicket before Bellinger removed Higgins - the fifth Yeovil player to be dismissed clean bowled - to end with 4-31 from 5.5 overs.

Bridgwater’s reply stuttered to begin with as the hosts slipped to 16-2, with Tom Pople (13) and Jonathan Vickery (1) falling early.

Runs were not easy to come by, as Yeovil’s openers Alex Murphy (2-29 from 10) and Mark Mitchell (1-7 from 10) kept it tight.

Bellinger (23) and Alastair Witts (9) steadied the ship before Ed Habberfield and Windsor led Bridgwater to the brink of victory at 98-4.

Windsor was then dismissed lbw for 18 and James Salt was clean bowled first ball, but Buller joined Habberfield to get Bridgwater over the finish line.

Habberfield finished unbeaten on a patient 27, which came from 63 balls and included four boundaries.

Bridgwater’s fine start sees them sit second after three games, two points behind Chard.

On Saturday, Bridgwater face a tough trip to the third side to have won each of their three games so far, Frome.

SHAPWICK & Polden suffered two defeats in Group B of the WEPL T20 on Sunday at Clevedon CC on a day when runs were scored at will.

Their first match was at Congresbury, who racked up 206-7 to set up a tough chase.

Stephen Tinnion (29 off 13 balls) and Sam Edmunds (20 from nine balls) got the reply off to a flyer before John Stratton took centre stage.

He peppered the boundary as he hit three fours and four sixes in a 33-ball 54, but received little in the way of support despite cameos from Tom Smith (22) and Ben Rudge (23) as Shapwick came up 13 runs short on 193-9.

Their second game of the day saw more punishment for Shapwick’s bowlers on an unforgiving day with the ball as Clevedon powered to 256-5.

Harry Ellison was the destroyer-in-chief, blasting 83 from just 40 balls, with seven fours and seven sixes, and Greg Willows added 70 from 39.

Harry Woolway returned excellent figures in the circumstances, finishing 1-26 from his four overs on a day when the majority of the attack went for more than 10 an over.

Tinnion was in fine form again in response, hitting nine fours and five sixes.

The Shapwick skipper was one of four victims for Jake Rowe (4-20), however, falling for a fine 49-ball 78 to leave his side on 121-4.

That led to a mini-collapse and, despite late fireworks from James Haggett (36 off 31) and Dan Rudge (29 off 13 with four sixes), Shapwick were never in the hunt against such an imposing total and finished on 187-7.

This Saturday, Shapwick & Polden’s 1st XI return to Premier 2 action having had a bye last weekend.

They host Ilminster at 12.30pm.