WEPL Premier 1
Frocester 151-2 beat Bridgwater 150 by 8 wkts

BRIDGWATER slipped to the bottom of WEPL Premier 1 after they were convincingly beaten at Frocester on Saturday.

The visitors chose to bat upon winning the toss and, though they lost two early wickets, Andrew Hallaran found the boundary regularly to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Hallaran fell for 45 but Ian Dev Chauhan and Stuart Butt each looked in good touch.

The pair took the score to 129-3, at which point Butt was bowled for 26 and Bridgwater collapsed.

The final seven wickets fell for 21 runs as the visitors were dismissed for 150.

Bridgwater made a perfect start with the ball as Chris Skidmore had opener Dan Whitcup caught by Liam Kitch for a second ball duck, and the same bowler then dismissed Louis Gegg to leave the hosts 20-2.

There were no further breakthroughs for the visitors, however, as Uzi Qureshi (45*) was joined by Andy Solomons, who fired nine fours and three sixes in his unbeaten 43-ball 76.

Bridgwater will look to bounce back at home to Bath on Saturday.

WEPL Somerset
Wembdon 309-6 beat Yeovil 226-7 by 83 runs

A SUPERB innings by Wembdon captain Jon Brockwell helped his side to victory over Yeovil on Saturday.

After being put in, Wembdon openers Dan Bingham (21) and Jack Lowe (8) worked hard against the swinging ball but were quick to dispatch any loose deliveries.

Yeovil opted for spin at the other end and it was the slow right arm of Mitchell who trapped Lowe lbw.

Bingham and Sam Puddy (16) moved the score along to 50 when the former was caught behind and Puddy fell to a good catch in the covers.

At 51-3, the visitors needed to rebuild and, in skipper Brockwell and Brendan Pope, Wembdon had the experience capable of doing the job.

Brockwell was the first to bring up his half century and then looked to be more aggressive, with boundaries becoming more regular.

Pope moved on to 49 but was then caught trying to run the ball down to third man.

Pope and Brockwell had shared a match-defining partnership of 137 for the fourth wicket and, with wickets in hand, Wembdon looked to attack and Brockwell led the onslaught as he brought up his and Wembdon’s maiden century of the summer.

Karl Trunks (19) and Josh Henry (21) aided the scoring as Yeovil picked up a couple of late wickets. 

The innings, however, belonged to Brockwell, who reached 152 not out, an innings which included 13 fours and nine sixes.

He moved from 100 to 150 in less than 20 balls and his total of 152 came from just 101 deliveries after a superb display of hitting at the death, which helped Wembdon finish on a commanding 309-6.

The Yeovil reply got off to a slow start and man of the match Brockwell was at it again with the swinging ball as he removed both openers.

The spin of Henry (1-17) then had an immediate impact, removing Ewens to leave Yeovil 48-3.

A fiery spell for Tim Bennett went unrewarded but Max Sellick had Boucher (2) caught at slip.

The spin from Puddy and Bingham was then introduced with Puddy dismissing Redwood (9) with his first delivery, caught at slip.

Bingham then had three edges put down but held on to his own caught and bowled chance to dismiss Ford (20).

Fuller was holding the innings together for Yeovil but a suicidal run and subsequent run out from Aaron Rees saw him depart on 49.

Mitchell, Ford (20) and Murphy (22) frustrated the Wembdon bowlers who couldn’t polish off the tail, but it was a comfortable 83-run victory.
Wembdon host Uphill Castle on Saturday (12.30pm).

Match Sponsors: Gary Parker Carpentry & Maxwells Chartered Accountants.

WEPL Somerset
North Petherton 137 beat Frome 135 by two runs

NORTH Petherton recorded the latest in a series of narrow victories with a two-run win at Frome on Saturday.

Pethy batted first and opener Harry Bowditch set the tone with 39, but only three other batsmen made it into double figures as the visitors struggled to put together meaningful partnerships.

Tom Williams made 32 and Lewis Knight contributed a valuable unbeaten 17 from number 10 as the visitors were bowled out for 135.

In reply, Will Pope picked up the crucial early wicket of Robin Lett without scoring to set Pethy on their way.

Several home batsmen made starts but none of them could kick on and play the match-winning knock as the visiting bowlers shared the wickets around and took scalps at key times.

Paul Short (2-32) kept his cool at the death and there were also two run-outs as the hosts panicked with few runs required, eventually falling just two shy.

On Saturday, Pethy host North Perrott.

WEPL Somerset
Shapwick & Polden 277-8 beat Taunton 235 by 42 runs

SHAPWICK & Polden made it back to back wins with a convincing victory away to Taunton.

Returning captain Stephen Tinnion won the toss and had no hesitation on batting first on the ‘M5’ Taunton surface. 

Tinnion got off to a flyer, hitting each of the first three balls of the match for four. 

With Wayne Spencer (27) also going well at the other end, the Shapwick openers swiftly moved onto 81 before the tall O’Livey (2-69) found Spencer’s leading edge and he was caught at mid-wicket. 

Tinnion showed no signs of slowing the pace, but lost Mason (8), also caught mid-wicket. 

Stratton’s arrival increased the pressure on the home bowlers with a series of boundaries from both ends, before a good piece of fielding caught Tinnion short of his ground with a direct hit. 

The captain hit 11 fours and two sixes in his innings of 83 from 78 balls. 
Ben Rudge (24) and Sean Stringer (17) supported Stratton through to a wonderful 96 not out, which came from 86 balls with 13 fours.

Shapwick’s bowlers knew it was always going to tough going on a pitch offering very little, and so it proved as despite Coppell’s economy (0-34) he was unable to break the defences of Taunton’s openers. 

It was the spin of Spencer that brought the first success, having Clist caught by Mason at mid-on. 

Manley followed in almost identical fashion in Spencer’s next over leaving Taunton at 65-2. 

A partnership of just under 100 followed between Quick (39) and Sparks (51) which gave Taunton a chance. 

It took the extra pace of Stringer to strike, as he trapped Quick lbw before having Sparks caught behind with a slower ball.

Stringer, bowling with real speed, then had Kelly clean bowled and Abell caught by Stratton at slip before completing his five-for, accounting for Hake with a ball that was simply too quick for him to deal with. 

Stringer finished with 5-46 in his match-winning spell.

A few lusty blows from Phillips (21) and Clark (34) gave the home side maximum batting points before Woolway (2-36) accounted for the tail, giving Shapwick and Polden a convincing victory. 

On Saturday, Shapwick host Weston-super-Mare. 

WEPL Somerset
Bridgwater 2nds 166-5 beat Staplegrove 163 by 5 wkts

TODD Barrett impressed with bat and ball as Bridgwater 2nds overcame Staplegrove.

Barrett claimed 2-29, including the key wicket of Grove skipper Ian Bishop for 81, while Tom Bellinger took 3-21 as the visitors were bowled out for 163.

Bridgwater lost Bellinger early in reply but Barrett (55) and Jonathan Vickery steadied the ship.

Ed Habberfield (25) also made a useful contribution while Vickery continued to hold the innings together before he was the fifth wicket to fall for a patient 46 with four runs needed.

Alastair Witts and Daniel Rossiter finished the job for Bridgwater, who travel to leaders Chard on Saturday.