Somerset Cricket League Division Two

Burnham 135-5 Barrington 181-5|– match drawn because of rain

BURNHAM were denied a shot at league victory for the second week running as rain put an early end to their Division Two clash at home against Barrington on Saturday.

Needing a further 47 runs to win with 13 overs and five wickets remaining, everything seemed to be set in Burnham’s favour when the wet weather set in and dashed their hopes of victory with all-rounder Rob Driver unbeaten on 57.

John Harding (31) had joined forces with Driver to steer Burnham towards their victory target of 182, and despite Harding falling shortly before the rain intervened Burnham found themselves on course for what would have been only their second victory of the 2014 season.

Harris (9) and Bloodworth (5) had been dismissed early on in the Burnham reply, but Driver stood firm and took the score on in his usual elegant style.

Ed Booth (13) came and went quickly, but in Harding Driver found himself a more than adequate partner to chase down the total.

Harding struck a series of well-timed boundaries to pick away at the Barrington total before falling to Redwood (1-35).

Earlier, the evergreen Brian Brogden had been the pick of the Burnham bowlers with 3-28 from 12 economical overs as Barrington limped to 181-5 from their 45 overs.

James Annison (2-52) chipped in with two wickets of his own in an impressive opening spell, while Driver (0-52) and Booth (0-39) kept things tight with some accurate bowling.

T. Towill (45), S. Redwood (36) and S. Gerring (35no) top scored for Barrington with the bat, while E. White (2-39) and A. Pitman (1-33) were the pick of the Barrington bowlers.

Despite missing out on victory, Burnham can take huge positives from the past two weeks as they look to turn around a dreadful first half of the league campaign.

Burnham are travelling to Wells this weekend and will be hoping for some form of respite from the weather.