BRIDGWATER and Taunton Deane Cricket Clubs brought the curtain down on the club cricket season for 2020, with a series of matches against one another that came under the umbrella of the Barrington Coombes Trophy.

The 1st XIs clashed at The Parks, Bridgwater, on Saturday lunchtime - a fixture replacing the one that was washed out at the start of the WEPL season.

The Deane won the toss and opted to bat first but soon regretted that decision, as Ned Leonard (5-26) and Chris Skidmore reduced them to 9-3 and then 23-4.

James Hayes (2-15) also impressed for the hosts, but the Deane dug in to recover from 86-6 to reach 161 all out.

Sam Shaikh scored a well-made 51 and Ed Mellor added 22*, before Leonard returned to finish off the innings, just a few days after signing his first professional contract with Somerset CCC.

Merv Hallaran (19), Alex Eckland (18), Callum Pope (34) and Leonard (34, from just 21 balls, with four sixes) had Bridgwater in complete control at 119-4 with plenty of overs remaining.

Mellor (4-20) threatened to turn the game on its head, however, as he picked up four quick wickets to add to his earlier efforts with the bat, and now the home side were on 130-8, still needing 32 for victory.

The visitors could not take the two wickets needed, though, as Will Moyse (19*) and Andrew Skidmore (13*) put together an unbroken stand of 32 to win the game, much to the delight of a large home crowd.

The Deane fought back to take a 3-2 lead in the overall trophy standings, thanks to wins for their Under-15, Under-11 and mixed teams on Saturday and Sunday.

The weekend’s cricket culminated in a legends game that went down to the final over (the Deane needing 149 to win), as the Taunton team were declared overall Barrington Coombes Trophy winners.