Baker Cup quarter-final
Ilminster 108-2 beat Chard 107-6 by 8 wkts

LOUIS Kraucamp’s unbeaten 63 led Ilminster to a comfortable Baker Cup quarter-final against local rivals Chard on Monday evening.

Chard won the toss and opted to bat first but found Ilminster’s bowlers, particularly Keelan Ashby (1-10 off five), hard to get away.

Openers Reid Mawdsley (21) and Akhona Mbanga (19) added 39 before both fell in quick succession, and Sam Grinter ran through the middle order with 3-17 from four.

Lee Brun struck two fours and two sixes in his 30-ball 38 not out, but Chard’s 107-6 looked a tad light against higher division opponents and so it proved.

Mbanga dismissed Jon Hurford without scoring but Kraucamp paced his innings to perfection along with Sam Spurway.

Both were patient to begin with before putting their foot down and, though Spurway fell for 39, Kraucamp and Charlie Vickery saw the hosts over the line with eight wickets to spare in the 16th over.

Ilminster will play Taunton in the semi-finals on Monday, June 17.

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West of England Premier League
Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset
Ilminster 112-4 beat Midsomer Norton 110 by 6 wkts

ILMINSTER produced a near-complete team performance to earn an important victory against Midsomer Norton on Saturday.

The hosts were not displeased to be asked to bowl upon losing the toss on a green-ish wicket, and opening bowlers Harry Montacute (2-14 from eight) and Keelan Ashby (2-6 off five) showed why as they reduced Midsomer to 12-4 and 28-5.

Martin Cox (34) led a recovery of sorts but James Thompson (3-18 off 8.3) and Charlie Vickery (2-20 from seven) kept the pressure on, backed up by some excellent work in the field, as the innings was wrapped up on 110.

The hosts lost skipper Jonny Warry early but Louis Kraucamp settled the nerves alongside Vickery.

Kraucamp struck five fours and a six before falling for 39, but Vickery stayed unbeaten on 30 to guide Ilminster to victory by six wickets.

On Saturday, Ilminster travel to Weston-super-Mare (12.30pm start).

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WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset
Taunton Deane 207-3 beat North Perrott 205-6 by 7 wkts

NORTH Perrott struggled to recover from a poor start at The Convent Field, in this clash of the unbeaten top sides on Saturday.

Perrott lost both openers with just six on the board, as Matt Derham claimed both victims.

Alex Eckland and skipper James Symes repaired the damage but struggled in the face of Somerset’s left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe, who dismissed Eckland and bowled his 10 overs for just 22 runs.

Calvin Harrison bowled an even tighter line to take 2-14 off 10, but Sam Rowswell came in to hit an unbeaten 41 off 29 balls to lift the stranglehold and see Perrott to 205-6.

However, the score turned out to be well below par as Deane openers Robert Woodman and Harrison put on 151 in quick time to all but see them home.

Eckland took two wickets during his cameo bowl but Harry Thomas came in to finish the match off with 15 overs remaining.

Perrott face another tough test on Saturday when they entertain high-flying Winterbourne (12.30pm).