Shrubbery Hotel Somerset League
Division 4
Lympsham & Belvedere 168-7 drew with Kilmington & Stourton 167-7

LYMPSHAM & Belvedere made the long journey to Kilmington & Stourton, and were asked to bat on a green looking pitch, writes Neil Chadwick.

The innings got off to the worst possible start as Dave Luff was caught behind off the first ball, and Sam McCrea followed, leaving Jack Luff (14) and Neil Chadwick (9) looking to rebuild.

Both failed to deliver, but Mike Hosey and Tom Gooding combined brilliantly mixing solid defence and good running between the wickets to push closer to the 100-mark.

Hosey made a well-constructed 29 before he chipped to mid-on and Tom Cates fell looking to hit out, but Gooding looked in good touch sweeping well and punishing the short ball to finish on a fine unbeaten 83 as Lympsham ended on 168-7.

After a delayed interval due to rain, Kilmington started positively but Jack Luff made the breakthrough as he had Horner caught hooking off his helmet well held by Dave Luff.

The dangerous Wakeling was next out to Hosey (2-44), who was soon in the action again as Neville was caught off a leading edge.

The returning Jack Luff (2-20) had Harvey bowled to leave the game delicately poised once again, and Sam McCrea was tasked with bowling the last over with eight runs needed.

McCrea held his nerve to leave Kilmington two short of victory in a tense finale - both teams came away with 27 points each.

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West Somerset League
Division 4
East Huntspill 198-9 beat Stoke Saints 90 by 108 runs

A SUPERB all-round display by L. Holmes saw East Hunspill collect a 108-run win at Stoke Saints.

Batting first, the visitors were up against Matt Lovell, who had taken all 10 wickets for his side last weekend, but largely negotiated the threat as the bowler returned 2-41 from 12 overs.

Holmes’ 62 led the way for East Huntspill, who were also grateful to W. Hand’s 42 lower down the order.

Following on from his half-century, Holmes then took the new ball and finished with 6-53, five of them bowled, as Stoke were dismissed for 90.

A. Prowse completed the victory in style, taking 3-1 from just 1.4 overs.

The comfortable win ensures East Huntspill stay second in Division 4 with a game in hand on league leaders Wiveliscombe 2nds, but they cannot keep the pressure on this weekend as they do not have a match.

***

HUNTSPILL & District fell four runs short of completing a superb run chase as they went down to a nail-biting defeat against Trull in Division 4 of the Shrubbery Hotel Somerset Cricket League on Saturday.

Huntspill bowled first and initially found success hard to come by as Trull openers A. Sapey (78) and A. Blundell (71) began nicely.

The hosts fought back well, however, with Jake Randall and Dan Cavill taking three wickets apiece as Trull finished on 253-9.

Huntspill were in touch throughout the reply, with S. Lillycrop (54) and Matt Osmant (80) particularly impressive, but couldn’t quite get over the line and finished just short on 249-9.

G. Walters (5-49) was the star man with the ball for Trull.

In Division 6N, East Huntspill eased past Winscombe 2nds by 94 runs.

R. Pomeroy (68) and K. Butt (43) combined effectively in the middle order to lift East Huntspill to 218-7 from their 40 overs.

Pomeroy then led the charge with the new ball, taking 2-16 from 6.4 overs as Winscombe’s reply struggled to get off the ground.

K. Crenol picked up 4-25 from his eight overs as the visitors were bowled out for 124, despite resistance from S. Bawden (46) and E. Griffiths (34).

N. Harding (2-13) and A. Chedzey (1-22) picked up the other wickets to fall for the victors.

Cheddar 2nds were another Division 6N team all out for 90, with D. Aston (4-10) doing most of the damage for Burnham 2nds.

P. Gaylard’s 42 led the reply, and A. Ashfold’s unbeaten 28 helped the hosts close out a comfortable nine-wicket victory.

A superb 125 from Wedmore’s P. Whittaker helped his side chase down 261 to beat Leigh on Mendip by five wickets.

P. Patch’s unbeaten 49 was crucial at the death as Wedmore made 265-5 in reply to the home side’s 261-7, an innings which saw B. Halford and M. Lee take two wickets apiece.

In Division 7N, C. Le Frere’s 4-21 helped Huntspill & District 2nds defend their total of 159 all out against Butleigh 2nds.

M. Roper (43) and S. Cavill (48) were the chief run scorers for Huntspill, who then dismissed their opponents for 116.

A. Tippett was the only batsman to reach double figures for Mark, who were rolled over for 61 and beaten by nine wickets against Spaxton.

Kevin Crockett’s 112 helped Lympsham & Belvedere 2nds to 241-7 against Cranmore 2nds in Division 8N, a total they defended with ease to win by 130 runs.

Elsewhere, Wedmore 2nds were thumped by nine wickets against Weston-super-Mare 4ths.