West of England Premier League
Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset
Ilminster 1st XI 83-0 beat Claverham (Yatton) 1st XI 78 by 10 wickets

ILMINSTER kept hold of fourth place in WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset thanks to a thumping win at home to bottom side Claverham.

After a fine bowling performance by the hosts – James Thompson taking four wickets – George Hayward and Charlie Vickery guided them to the finish line without loss.

Ilminster won the toss and elected to field, and made the ideal start as Harry Montacute bowled opener Mitchell Bench for a duck.

James Copeland (16) and Lloyd Richardson (19) made headway, but after their dismissals – by Montacute and Thompson, respectively – the home side faced little resistance.

Thompson tore through the middle order, before Sam Jukes was run out by Hayward for 14.

Another run-out (by Matt Davis this time) removed Dan Jenkins for a duck, and Adam Cox claimed two wickets to finish the job, with Claverham all out for an unimpressive 78 off 28 overs.

For Ilminster, Thompson finished with 4-21 off eight overs, Cox 2-17 off nine and Montacute 2-17 off six.

The reply saw Hayward and Vickery come to the crease, and they won the match without fuss.

They built the Ilminster total steadily, with George Hayward completing a half-century (51) in 68 balls, with three 4s and two 6s, and Vickery working his way to 27 from 60 balls (four 4s).

They reached 83-0 thanks to one of Hayward’s 6s, wrapping up victory in just 21.2 overs.

James Downes (0-13 off six overs) was the most economical of the Claverham bowlers.

Ilminster collected 22 points from the match to sit fourth in the standings, 19 points off third-placed Bishopston and nine ahead of Taunton in fifth.

And fifth plays fourth this coming Saturday, as Ilminster go to Taunton for a 12.30pm start.

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WEPL Somerset Division
Minehead 1st XI 255 beat Chard 1st XI 200-8 by 55 runs

CHARD are deep in the Somerset Division relegation mire after a 55-run defeat to Minehead, the team immediately above them in the table.

The home side chose to bat first, and openers Ian Buchanan and Liam Muggeridge made it to 105 before Buchanan fell to Joe Draper for 44.

Draper removed Angus Marsh (6) and Jonathan Scott trapped Dan Bowditch (1) lbw, but Muggeridge made it to 84 (off 101 balls, with 14 4s and two 6s) before falling to Draper.

Still the punishment kept coming for Chard’s bowlers, as Alastair Harrison hit 51 and Robbie Garwood 26 as they were 255 all out in 49.5 overs.

Draper took 3-49 off 10 and Chris Scott 3-57 off 10 for the visitors.

The reply got to 20 before Alex Hunt (12) departed as the first of Ellis Taylor’s three victims.

Nathan Johnson followed for 23, but Matt Micale’s 79 (off 101 balls, with 10 4s) and Jonathan Scott’s 39 (five 4s) kept Chard alive.

Draper chipped in with 17no, but the away side could only post 200 off their 50 overs, for nine points to Minehead’s 19.

Third-bottom Chard are now only eight points ahead of Temple Cloud, with games running out.

They host bottom side Wellington in a must-win game on Saturday (12.30pm start).

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WEPL Somerset Division
North Perrott 127-2 beat North Petherton 126 by 8 wkts

NORTH Perrott kept up their gutsy title chase with a comfortable home win against North Petherton on Saturday.

League leaders Weston-super-Mare may yet prove out of reach, but Perrott kept up with the pace thanks to a fine bowling performance and steady batting.

Choosing to bat first, North Petherton – depleted by the start of the football season – saw the top of their order decimated by Joshua Marshall-James and Stacy Hawes, as the visitors plummeted to 2-1, then 3-2 and then 10-3.

Brad Porteous made 17 before he too fell to Hawes, and only Will Pope (46no) resisted as Somerset Women's bowler Lorraine Szczepanski wreaked havoc.

Lewis Irish made 23 before becoming her first victim at 89-6, and three more followed as Pope saw the wickets tumble around him on the way to 123-9.

Gordon Whorlow then bowled Oscar Hallett for a duck, ending the visitors' innings at 126 in just 30 overs.

Spinner Szczepanski finished with 4-12 off five overs, with Hawes taking 3-34 off 10, Marshall-James 2-54 off 10 and Whorlow 1-22 off five.

Come the reply, Whorlow and George Retter put on 44 for the first wicket to set up the victory, before Will Pope took the wicket of Retter for 27 (off just 11 balls, with five 4s and one 6).

Pope also engineered the wicket of Troy Johnson for 10, running him out at 64-2 to give the visitors a slight glimpse of hope.

But that was the last success for the Pethy attack, as Whorlow continued to an unbeaten 51 (off 80 balls, with nine 4s) and Alex Eckland reached 24no.

Ultimately Perrott coasted to an eight-wicket win off just 22.4 overs.

That meant they collected 20 points to Pethy's two.

Weston's lead remains at 21 points, however, as they also picked up 20 points from a 135-run victory over Wembdon.

This Saturday sees Perrott travel to fourth-placed Bridgwater 2nds (12.30pm start).