CRICKET: Bridgwater lose out to Potterne in West of England Premier League

THIS was a tough defeat to take for Bridgwater having been in control for 90 per cent of the game, eventually losing out at the death by five runs when the final wicket fell to a run-out.

On winning the toss, skipper Andy Hallaran chose to bowl first and his decision was to be backed up by a miserly bowling display from his attack.

Chris Skidmore (1-32) and Ned Leonard both bowled excellent opening spells in which Leonard picked up the key wicket of Glamorgan’s Tom Cullen to a sharp catch in the slips by Stu Butt.

At drinks, Potterne had been restricted to 76-3 as Andy Roberts and Ian Dev Chauhan both picked up a wicket, and Potterne’s strong batting line-up was under pressure.

This continued after the break as Bridgwater kept their stranglehold on the game, with wickets for Max Waller (1-29), and the returning Chauhan (2-30) and Leonard (2-41), with no Potterne batsmen scoring more than 32.

A final total of 209-9 looked well below par, with the home side very pleased with their work in the field, Roberts being the pick of the bowlers with 3-36.

After tea, Liam Kitch and Hallaran started brightly with 33 for the first wicket in good time before Kitch was adjudged caught behind.

However, this brought young Will Smeed in to join his captain and the pair continued the run chase at ease, with Bridgwater in total control.

Smeed (32) looked particularly classy and hit three 6s, however he fell to a sharp chance at short midwicket when looking well set.

Bridgwater lost Chauhan cheaply, but at drinks they remained in control, requiring 98 off 25 overs with seven wickets in hand.

Potterne overseas player Wijerathne (3-28) tightened things from the top end, but Hallaran shared stands of 24 with Butt (7) and 48 with Waller (29), with the captain showing great determination to see his side to victory.

At 171-4 with 10 overs remaining, Bridgwater were put under some pressure, as first Hallaran (74) and then Waller fell in quick succession.

However, with the experienced Josh Vickery and Chris Skidmore at the crease, panic had not yet set in with the large home crowd.

Two quick wickets for Jake Roberts (2-38) swung the game, leaving Vickery, Andy Skidmore and Andy Roberts to see the side home.

Thirteen runs were required from two overs and 10 from one, and Bridgwater eventually ran out of time, as Skidmore was run out going for a necessary second run off the penultimate ball.

Bridgwater now sit in eighth place, 12 points ahead of second-bottom Frocester, with a visit to Bristol on Saturday.

Match sponsors: Watermans Garage; match ball sponsors TMB Patterns Ltd.

This Friday evening, Bridgwater Under-19s host Wembdon in the latest round of the ECB U19 T20 competition.

A bar and barbecue will be available (6.15pm start).

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WEPL Somerset Division
Bridgwater II 154-7 beat Yeovil 150 by 3 wkts

BRIDGWATER 2nds sit fifth in the Somerset Division standings after a three-wicket win at strugglers Yeovil.

The hosts chose to bat first, but only Steven Redwood (54) managed to pass 20 runs, as Bridgwater’s Ian Higgins took 3-27 and Scott Clapp 2-19 in their 150 all out.

The visitors’ reply was on shaky ground at 15-2, 31-3 and 55-5, but vital contributions from Alastair Witts (27), Chris Singleton (20no), Will Moyse (25) and Clapp (37) saw them home.

Bridgwater host Frome on Saturday.

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WEPL Somerset Division
Wembdon 181-3 beat North Petherton 177 by 7 wkts

WEMBDON secured a much-needed win on Saturday, against local rivals North Petherton at The Green.

After losing the toss for the fifth consecutive week, hosts Wembdon were asked to bowl first.

Tight bowling and poor shot selection had two Irish brothers, Lloyd and Lewis, on their way back to the pavilion with the score at 7-2, and one wicket each for Jonathan Brockwell and James Annison.

North Petherton then had Harry Bowditch and Liam Winter at the crease looking to rebuild.

The home side spilled several opportunities to remove both batters early on in their innings, and Petherton made the very best of some woeful catching.

As a result, Winter (41) and Bowditch (70) added 100 runs for the third wicket, reaching 107 without further loss.

It was the introduction of spin that slowed the run rate and Sam Puddy, especially, who claimed the breakthrough wicket of Winter.

In the space of a few deliveries overseas player Ryan Meppem had been run out by Annison and the dangerous Tom Williams chipped back to Puddy (2-36 off 10 overs) to be caught and bowled.

As a result, Pethy fell to 117-5, but Bowditch remained at the crease and with new recruit Rob Rexworthy blasting four boundaries they moved on to 164.

Tim Bennett and Max Sellick halted Pethy’s progress and, in a lively six-over spell, Bennett took 3-15 off 3.1 and Sellick 2-8 off three as the visitors lost their final five wickets for 13 runs to close on 177.

In response, Wembdon had a new-look partnership of Tom Brooks and Tom Lott, the latter having been in fine form for the 2nd XI.

Lott attacked the opening bowlers, especially the spin of Winter, as he struck 10 boundaries, blasting 54 from 35 deliveries and sharing an opening stand of 80 from just the first dozen overs.

Meppem (1-23 off 8.1) trapped Lott (54) lbw and Brooks (23) followed soon after to young Farran Gregory, leaving Wembdon on 80-2.

But with new-found belief, the experienced duo of Puddy (24) and Brockwell (57no) shared a stand of 75 for the third wicket.

Puddy was run out by Bowditch with just 22 runs required for victory.

Brockwell went on to pass his half-century and the skipper, along with Karl Trunks, saw Wembdon home for a seven-wicket win, having struck 181 from just 28 overs.

Match sponsors: Maxwell Chartered Accountants & Hatch Beauchamp Garage.

Wembdon travel to Staplegrove this coming Saturday, while North Petherton host Uphill Castle (both 12.30pm starts).