WEPL Premier 1

Potterne 98-2 beat Taunton St Andrew’s 97 by 8 wkts

TAUNTON St Andrew’s were soundly beaten at Potterne on Saturday after an all-too-familiar batting collapse.

The hosts won a crucial toss and put the Saints in, and openers James Regan and Lloyd Alley steadily negotiated the opening overs.

But Alley’s departure for 11 sparked a collapse as the visitors lost four wickets with the score on 32, including Somerset duo Tom Banton and Eddie Byrom for rare ducks.

Both the county pros fell to Basil Akram, who finished with 4-37 from nine overs.

From 36-5, Steven Jenkins and Toby Williams-Thomas led a recovery of sorts as they added 46 for the sixth wicket.

The dismissal of Jenkins (27) brought about another case of wickets falling in clusters as the Saints went from 82-5 to 87-9 in the blink of an eye, Oliver Jackson (4-28) doing the damage.

Harry Clements (11*) took the score to 97 when the final wicket fell, and an assertive start from Akram and Jake Goodwin at the top of the Potterne order put the result beyond doubt.

Justin Burke (1-20) struck for Saints, removing Goodwin for a swift 27, and Alley (1-12) then trapped Graham Wiseman in front before the batsman had scored.

But Akram progressed to an unbeaten 50 from 49 balls, including seven fours and two sixes, and captain Neil Clark’s brutal 18 not out from just four deliveries carried the hosts home in just the 14th over with eight wickets to spare.

WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset

Weston-super-Mare 1st XI 121-6 beat Taunton Deane 1st XI 119 by 4 wkts

TAUNTON Deane were knocked off top spot as they suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of mid-table Weston at the Convent Field on Saturday.

Put in to bat, the Deane openers faced a lively opening spell from Somerset’s Peter Trego.

But opener Sam Loud fell victim to a misjudgment and was the first wicket to fall, run out for a duck.

Tennessee Harlow also failed to trouble the scorers, becoming the first of two Trego victims, but Calvin Harrison steadied the ship with Grant Davey as they tried to repair the damage.

Davey was the next to fall on 24 and Harry Smith was soon to follow for yet another duck.

From there on it was something of a procession as Harrison was bowled by Chris Davidson for 20.

Harry Thomas hung around for a patient 18 but, apart from a final fling from Edward Mellor (11), the innings disintegrated to 119 all out off just 36 overs.

George Cox took 3-35 and Alex Leeks and the miserly Davidson two wickets apiece

Weston’s reply centred around opener Scott Harris. He stood at the other end as Jason Squire and Matt Derham saw off Jack Press and Tahmid Ahmed for another pair of ducks.

It looked to be anybody’s game with Harris standing firm.

He was joined by Matt Kearsey and, together, the pair forged a stand which won the match.

Harris went on to score a half-century but when Harrison claimed both Kearsey for 30 and Chris Davidson, there was still a faint hope the Deane could pull a victory out of the fire.

However, George Cox (9no) and Will Plummer (6no) weathered the storm to see Weston home with four wickets and 14 overs in hand.

Harrison bowled well to take 2-29 off 9 overs, while Jason Squire kept things tight from the off with 2-20 off 6.

There was also a wicket apiece for Matt Derham, who claimed Trego for 9, and Mellor.

With new leaders Winterbourne washed out at home to Midsomer Norton, the Deane missed an opportunity they might regret.