Somerset Cricket League Division Three

Lympsham 311-1 beat Uphill Castle 2nd XI 165-7 by 146 runs

CENTURIES from Dave Luff and Gabriel Counsell fired Lympsham to a commanding 146-run victory over Uphill Castle 2nd XI on Saturday.

Openers Luff (111) and Counsell (134no) put on 225 for the first wicket, with 18-year-old Counsell smashing 17 fours and three sixes in his unbeaten knock.

Luff struck 12 fours and two sixes before departing, but his daughter Sophie Luff, who plays for Somerset and England Women, picked up where he had left off with 42 not out from just 34 balls, as Lympsham amassed 311-1 from their 45 overs.

M Humphries (1-65) took Uphill’s only wicket.

Jack Luff continued the family theme with 2-17 from ten overs – and he took the first Uphill wicket, bowling Ben Castle for four.

Adam Mickelright (1-24) soon got in on the act, dismissing Uphill captain Mark Hodder for 20, before Thomas Oultram (40) and Ray Dibben (55) rebuilt the damage.

A solid partnership ensued, but the introduction of Ben Evans (4-32) swung the game further in Lympsham’s direction.

Evans removed both set batsmen and Paddy Holyday (6) – and when Luff claimed his second wicket, clean bowling Matt Humphries (3), the game was all but over.

Evans claimed his fourth late on, but the innings soon petered out to give Lympsham a resounding win.

Lympsham remain second in Division Three and welcome league leaders Long Sutton on Saturday.