NORTH Petherton’s Lewis Knight starred with bat and ball to help his side to a 60-run victory over Wellington at Heathfield Park on Saturday.

Knight top scored with 49, batting at number ten, to rescue the Pethy innings from mediocrity, as only Tom Williams (46), Lewis Irish (40) and Ian Blackwell (16) could manage double figures, in the face of some impressive bowling from Wellington’s Luke Desave (3-28) and A Campbell (5-38).

Knight’s efforts helped Pethy to 184 before he was the last man out, four short of a half-century.

But he wasn’t finished there and soon proceeded to ransack the Wellington top order with figures of 6-45 from ten overs.

Ian Blackwell (3-13) and Lewis Irish (1-21) accounted for the other four wickets to fall, to bowl Wellington out for 124 and seal an impressive win for North Petherton, who are now just ten points behind leaders North Perrott in the WEPL Somerset Division.

In the Somerset Cricket League, J Dillow took 7-43 for Middlezoy in Division One, but it wasn’t enough to secure victory as they crashed to a 62-run defeat at Bagborough.

Dillow’s efforts helped bowl Bagborough out for 195, but Middlezoy could only muster 133 all out, with A Campbell (28) and P Tilling (28no) top scoring.

Elsewhere in the division, Bridgwater A were bowled out for just 67 on their way to a seven-wicket defeat at Watchet – Scott Sealey (38) accounted for more than half his side’s score, while M Bryant (5-18) did the damage for Watchet.

In Division Two, Kilve lost out by 55 runs at Barrington in pursuit of an imposing 234-3.

Jay Darrell (38) and P Stone (34) top scored for Kilve, but they were bowled out for 179.

Also in Division Two, North Newton were beaten by three wickets by Castle Cary, having only managed 143-9 batting first.

J Sellick (45) and A Jenkins (29) were two of only four Newton batsmen to make double figures, before C Wadham (3-29) and M Barham (2-44) did their best to rescue the match.

But Cary edged home with just over four overs to spare, thanks to C Bontoft (20no) and M King (26no).

Shapwick and Polden 3rd XI crashed to a six-wicket defeat at the hands of Sparkford in Division Six.

R Edwards (30) played a lone hand for Shapwick as they were bowled out for 106, before Sparkford eased to victory with six wickets in the hutch.

Middlezoy 2nd XI were unable to reach triple figures at home to Evercreech – all out for 96 – in a nine-wicket reverse.

They had started brightly, with B Searle (39) and G Purchase (32) providing a strong foundation.

But no other batsman passed six as Zoy were all out in 28.2 overs.

A Chinnock (59no) and R White (32no) saw Evercreech to a comfortable win.

Elsewhere in Division Seven, Scott Pigden’s century led Wembdon Wyverns to a 142-run victory over Chard A.

Pigden scored 112 - together with half-centuries from Keith Futcher (66) and J Prior (61no) – as Wyverns amassed 329-2, before D Buller (5-31) ensured a commanding win for the home side.

Ed Stone was the match-winner for North Petheron 2nd XI as they beat Uphill Castle Cavaliers by six wickets.

He led the Pethy pursuit of 202, with 66 at the top of the order, while R Williams (49) also played his part.

Earlier, three wickets apiece from Scott Briffett (3-49) and P Thurston (3-32) restricted Uphill to 201-7 from 45 overs.

In Division 8N, Wembdon Academy beat Lympsham 2nd XI by two runs in a nail-biting encounter.

Wembdon batted first and scored 201-5 thanks to 46 from R Hayward – and with the ball, P Tilley (3-67) and M Syvret were the pick of the bowlers to seal a dramatic win for Wembdon.

Also in 8N, Spaxton fell 17 runs short at Banwell and Churchill 2nd XI, despite 58 from D Russell.

In Division 9NW, Bridgwater Sports slumped to a 190-run defeat at home to Watchet 2nd XI