Shrubbery Hotel Somerset League Division 2
Bridgwater A 252 beat Burnham 100 by 152 runs

A BATTING collapse consigned Burnham to a heavy defeat against Bridgwater A on Saturday.

Burnham won the toss and chose to field first, but had to be patient in search of the breakthrough as Tom Bellinger (31) and Tim Netto (68) added 72 for the first wicket.

Jake Harding clean bowled Bellinger to get Burnham on the board, but the runs kept flowing despite the best efforts of Paul Grant, who took 2-69, and Craig Scriven, who ended with 4-44 from his 6.4 overs.

A late cameo from Daniel Rossiter (32) took Bridgwater to 252, though each bowler ended with at least one wicket to their name as Harding (2-58), James Annison (1-31) and Pete Harris (1-44) kept plugging away.

Chasing such a total was always going to be a tough ask, and Burnham’s job became harder when Burnham lost Dave Worthington (4) early in the reply.

Harris (13) was next to depart and, though Rob Driver and Lee Coles each made 20, the lower order fell away as the visitors went from 85-4 to 100 all out.

Bellinger (4-7) and Michael Skidmore (3-48) were the destroyers in chief for Bridgwater, who increased the gap between themselves and the bottom two as a result of the victory.

Burnham sit in mid-table after recording five wins and five defeats from their opening 10 league matches, and are without a game on Saturday.

Shrubbery Hotel Somerset League Division 4
Lympsham & Belvedere 126-6 beat Trull 125 by 4 wkts

LYMPSHAM and Belvedere inflicted a first defeat of the season on table-topping Trull after an excellent performance on Saturday. 

Having won the toss, Lympsham asked Trull to bat first on a dry looking track and they started well as Tom Ferns had Sapey caught by Neil Chadwick at mid-wicket for a duck. 

A. Blundell (15) didn’t last long as Ferns picked up his second wicket and, after Clark and Fitt went on the attack, the introduction of Jon Youngs (4-17) and Jake Luff (2-28) changed the game dramatically as Trull went from 64-2 to 70-5.

Nurcombe (16) and Hayward (17) dug in before both were removed by the lively Luff as he bowled with good pace, and Samuel McCrea (1-23) and Adam Micklewright (1-10) combined to finish Trull’s innings inside 33 overs. 

Having to bat 10 overs before tea, Lympsham were soon in trouble as Mike Hosey (2) and McCrea (6) fell early. 

However, Jack Luff and Dave Luff steadied the ship as they pushed on to 32-2 at tea, after which Jack took the attack to the home bowlers and hit eight boundaries in a fine 49. 

Wickets continued to tumble as Rich Ford (0) and Chadwick (6) fell to Lawton, and when Dave Luff (30) departed Lympsham were 102-6.

Peter Hooper (11*) joined Youngs, who added 10 not out to his earlier wickets to see his side over the line and pick up the man of the match award. 

*****

ELSEWHERE, Huntspill & District continued their charge up the Division 4 table as they eased past Castle Cary by seven wickets to collect their third win in a row.

Huntspill fielded first and all of the bowlers kept their discipline superbly as the hosts were dismissed for just 73.

Matt Counsell (2-11) and S. Lillycrop (2-17) took two wickets apiece before Tom Garner (3-7) stole the show with a hat-trick. 

Huntspill lost three early wickets in reply, but Lillycrop (38*) and Matt Osmant (17*) ensured the visitors needed just 8.2 overs to wrap up an emphatic win.

Having looked cut adrift at the bottom less than a month ago, Huntspill are now sixth ahead of Saturday’s trip to Ilton.

In Division 6N, Burnham 2nds slumped to 133-run loss at home to Glastonbury 2nds.

Tom McCollum (2-35) and A. Smith (2-44) stood out with the ball for the hosts as Glastonbury finished on 196-7 from their 45 overs, a total they then defended with ease as Burnham’s batting capitulated.

Only number nine Luke Gowan (10) made it into double figures as the home side were rolled over for 63.

Rain ruined what was set up to be a close finish between East Huntspill and Shapwick & Polden 3rds, leaving both sides having to settle for a draw.

Ned Harding’s 98 was the dominant score in East Huntspill’s 195 all out, and the same player then took two of the four Shapwick wickets to fall as the visitors made it to 85-4 before the weather intervened.

Sam Blackburn’s impressive all-round performance could not save Wedmore from a three-wicket defeat at home to Cheddar 2nds.

Blackburn scored an unbeaten 60 as his side were dismissed for 112 and, despite then taking 4-21 with the ball, Cheddar edged home.

In Division 7N, Huntspill & District 2nds had reached 69-6 in pursuit of Wembdon 3rds’ 142-5 before rain began to fall and the shares were spoiled.

Elsewhere, Mark tied with Harptree Villages as both sides were bowled out on 153.

L. Cook (36) and J. Chinnock (34) were the primary run makers for Mark, who then saw A. Petherham (3-9) and S. Tinklin (3-19) do most of the damage with the ball.

Sam Neate scored 106 in Lympsham & Belvedere 2nds’ 266-7 against Wembdon 3rds, who reached 116-1 before rain forced a draw.

Elsewhere, Wedmore 2nds were beaten by 124 runs at Churchill 2nds.