WEPL Somerset Division

Minehead 241-8 beat North Petherton 175 by 66 runs

NORTH Petherton slipped to their fourth defeat in five matches this season as Minehead proved too strong on their own turf on Saturday.

Pethy lost the toss and the hosts chose to bat first, a decision which looked vindicated as Angus Marsh took the attack to the visitors.

Marsh dominated an opening stand of 42 with Ian Buchanan, who was caught by Mike Burns from the bowling of Lewis Knight for nine, and took the score to 95 before falling to Liam Winter for a brisk 55.

Alistair Harrison was more patient in his approach for a valuable 49, but his departure to Paul Short sparked a flurry of wickets as Pethy reduced Minehead to 168-6.

Thoughts of keeping the hosts to around 200 were blown away by Freddie Wilson and Darren Sherring, however, as both took the long handle approach at the death.

Wilson struck three fours and two sixes in a 25-ball 35, with Sherring also clearing the ropes in his cameo of 25 from 20 balls.

Minehead finished their 50 overs on 241-8 - Short ended with 2-49 from 10, while Ali Zaryab Asif was economical for his 1-32 from 10.

Unfortunately from the visitors’ point of view, Asif was less influential with the bat and fell without scoring off the bowling of Ellis Taylor.

Lewis Knight (14) and Liam Winter (3) both followed, each off Sherring (2-32), as Pethy slipped to 25-3 early in the chase.

Captain Harry Bowditch looked in good touch as he rebuilt with Paul Short, adding 35 for the fourth wicket before Short was caught for 15.

The subsequent departure of Bowditch for 33 from 34 balls reduced Pethy to 83-5 and left them with a mountain to climb.

Lewis Irish hit five fours and a six in his enterprising knock of 34 at better than a run a ball, but he perished to a stumping looking to keep the momentum going.

Max Trevarthan (12*), Thomas Lambert (19) and Farran Gregory (11) enjoyed some freedom to hit out down the order but Gregory was the final man to fall with Pethy 66 runs shy of Minehead’s total.

Braden Taylor (3-35 from five) and Buchanan (3-37 from five) were both expensive but took valuable wickets at key times for Minehead.

On Saturday, North Petherton - who sit bottom of the division at this early stage - welcome Chard, who have now lost twice on the spin having won their opening three games.

The match begins at 12.30pm at Heathfield Park.

WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset

Winterbourne 270-2 beat Shapwick & Polden 266-8 by 8 wkts

SHAPWICK & Polden fell to a fifth consecutive defeat as Winterbourne eased home on Saturday.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, the visitors were immediately on the back foot in losing James Venkatrao for no score.

Steve Tinnion and Sam Edmunds joined forces and raced along at seven an over in the power play with both batsman making use of the quick outfield.

Shapwick’s 70-1 quickly became 76-3 with Tinnion (33) bowled by opposing captain Ford (1-41) before Caddy (3-55) accounted for Edmunds (30) in the same manner after a spell of hostile short pitched bowling.

The in-form Wayne Spencer rebuilt with Stratton, mixing positive running with aggressive stroke play.

Spencer brought up back-to-back fifties as Shapwick looked to set an imposing score.

Stratton (25) fell caught on the boundary trying to up the rate, and Will Mason (11) followed in similar fashion.

The returning Caddy accounted for Spencer (76) and suddenly 250 was a long way off, but Oskar White (30*) and Josh Luckins (12) carried Shapwick to 266-8.

A competitive score, although the threat of the Winterbourne’s two Gloucestershire pros was not lost on the Shapwick side at tea.

With three of Shapwick’s front line seamers missing, Spencer rolled back the years and came storming down the hill.

He was unlucky to not have a wicket in his first over with Glos captain Dent almost finding White at point.

From the other end, Mason bowled Parker (6) and there was an air of confidence from the away side.

Gloucester duo James Bracey and Dent showed their class, however, and used their experience and skill to control the next 25 overs and build a match winning partnership.

One chance of Bracey came and went with a leaping Rudge unable to hold on.

Fifteen-year-old Harvey (1-50) bagged his first WEPL wicket, finding a small edge from Dent (63), but Bracey was joined by his brother Sam and the pair made short work of the chase with James finishing unbeaten on 125 and Sam on 64 as part of an unbroken stand of 131.

A disappointing result for Shapwick, but the odds were stacked against them given their absent seamers and the two professionals in the Winterbourne line-up.

Next week, Shapwick & Polden travel to Midsomer Norton, hoping to find that elusive first victory.