Pre-season friendly

Bridgwater 205 lost to Taunton 206-8

AN average total of 205 was not enough for Bridgwater as they succumbed to defeat from the final ball of a thrilling encounter with Taunton.

After winning the toss on a flat looking wicket, Bridgwater began well as Andy Hallaran continued on from his fine knock at Shapwick & Polden only a week ago. However, he fell LBW to Dickens for 26 with the score at 35-1.

Mitch Windsor (68) looked in excellent form on his way to his first half century of the year as he and Andrew Skidmore (32) went about building a solid foundation for the visiting side.

Windsor departed with the score at 148-3, and the ensuing collapse meant Bridgwater, who had once been looking at scoring upwards of 240, were all out for 205 in the final over.

Taunton’s reply started slowly, with superb opening spells from Higgins (1-17) and Van Der Berg (0-23) restricting Taunton to just 16 runs from the first ten overs before Higgins made the break through, claiming the wicket of Webber.

The home side looked to be struggling with the required run rate at well over a run-a-ball, however, some aggressive stroke play from Taunton Captain Jack Cooper (56) brought his side back into the game.

Bridgwater were still in the ascendancy going into the final ten with the rate at nine runs an over.

However, some wayward bowling and lacklustre fielding gave Taunton hope as they inched closer to the target, with the home side scoring the winning run from the final delivery of the match.