West of England Premier League
Premier 1
Potterne 232-4 beat Bridgwater 228 by 6 wkts

BRIDGWATER slipped to fourth in the Premier 1 standings after a six-wicket defeat away to title favourites Potterne on Saturday.

Captain Andrew Hallaran put the visitors in a good position with a score of 96, but they then lost their last eight wickets for just 15 runs.

Put in to bat by their hosts, the opening partnership of Hallaran and Scott Clapp (22) got to 55, at which point Clapp was caught off the bowling of Tahir Afridi.

Hallaran was going nowhere, though, and with Ben Coombes he led his side up to 179.

At that point Sahan Wijerathne struck to claim his first of four wickets, having Hallaran caught by Jake Goodwin to end the Bridgwater skipper’s innings at 96 (from 116 balls, with eight fours and four sixes).

Coombes and Jason Oakes were not pressing the panic button yet, passing 200 before it all went wrong.

Oakes (25) fell at 213-3 to Wijerathne (4-61 off 10), who then tore into the lower order with Afridi (3-34 off eight) and Michael Ferreira (2-34 off 9.4).

Coombes fell for 49 off 78 balls, and no-one else could score more than four, as Bridgwater subsided to 228 all out, in 45.4 overs.

The reply did not begin well for Potterne, Basil Akram (0) caught by Clapp from Ian Higgins’ bowling to leave the hosts 4-1.

But Bridgwater had a long wait for the next wicket, as Goodwin and Thomas Cullen passed 150.

Goodwin was particularly destructive, smashing 96 from just 64 balls (eight fours and seven sixes) before being trapped lbw by Higgins.

Neil Clark (0) was dismissed by Tom Bellinger (1-49 off five), but while Bridgwater’s middle order had not offered much resistance, Graham Wiseman (22) thumped three sixes in a flashy cameo to take his side to 219, at which point he became Higgins’ (3-53 off 9.1) third victim.

Cullen had stayed put, though, and he finished with 79no as he and Ferreira (7no) finished it off.

Bridgwater are now fourth in the table, four points behind Bedminster, while Potterne sit 24 points clear of Bath at the top.

This Saturday sees Bridgwater host seventh-placed Lansdown (12.30pm start).

The fixture will be the club’s British Heart Foundation Charity Day; all players will be wearing red caps, and everyone is welcome to come along in something red and support the event at The Parks.

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WEPL Somerset Division
Taunton Deane 2nds 230-6 beat Bridgwater 2nds 226-8 by 4 wkts

BRIDGWATER 2nds missed the chance to move into second spot as they lost by four wickets at home to bottom side Taunton Deane 2nds.

Stuart Butt was the main man for the hosts, with an unbeaten 100, with Kieran Windsor adding a rapid-fire 40 from number nine.

Edward Mellor claimed 4-43 for the Deane, who managed to chase down 226 in just 37.5 overs – despite Bridgwater’s Daniel Rossiter taking 4-32.

Sam Loud (68), Alastair Warren (43) and Russell Jones (69no from 34 balls) inspired the chase.

Bridgwater make the short trip to Wembdon this Saturday.