Shrubbery Hotel Somerset League
Premier Division
Street 165-2 beat Burnham-on-Sea 160

AS expected, Burnham could salvage only 10 points from this encounter with leaders Street at home on Saturday.

Put in to bat, openers Pete Harris and Dave Worthington took the game to Street, taking the score past 50.

However, once Harris fell for 45, Worthington failed to find a partner to compile a challenging total.

Lee Coles added 13 and, vitally, skipper Rob Driver fell for 12 but, when Worthington was bowled for a fine 64, the resistance fell away in dramatic fashion.

The damage was done by Liam Ward (3-45) and, especially Mike King, whose eight overs yielded 3-7 as he finished off the tail.

There were four ducks and a highest score of seven as Burnham slumped to 160 all out.

When Street replied, it seemed all to easy for the visiting batsmen as Daniel Lake (21) and Matt Holland (37) opened up in style.

Then it was the turn of Ben Trotman (53no) and Rob Hill (46no) to see the game through and pass their target in just 22 overs.

Driver and Brett Diver were the only wicket-taker as the difference between the two sides was exposed.

Burnham’s position at the bottom of the league looks to be with little hope but, with seven games to go, an escape from relegation is still possible.

On Saturday, they travel to mid-table Wellington who have been struggling to score runs of late.

***

Somerset League Division 4
Huntspill & District 279-6 beat Ilton 149 by 130 runs

THIS was a tale of two batsmen as Huntspill travelled to second-placed Ilton and beat them handsomely.

In positive mood, Huntspill elected to bat first and Nick Slack (22) and Sam Lillycrop (170) put on 38 for the first wicket.

But the innings revolved around a sparkling, unbeaten 112 from Jake Randall, who dominated proceedings.

He added 93 with Thomas Garner (24), 51 with Matt Counsell (30) and 64 with Nick Jones (31).

Damian Price bowled well to take 3-51 off 9 but all the visiting batsmen contributed to a final total of 279-6.

When Ilton batted, they lost opener Damian Price early on, who became t he first of Sam Lillycrop’s three victims.

However, the outstanding feature of the innings was the performance of Andrew Haste.

As the wickets tumbled around him, Haste struck out in imperious form to carry his bat through the innings with a remarkable 108.

Next highest score was 11 from Dean Male as the bowling of Matt Counsell (4-28 off 8) and Lillycrop (3-29 off 9) took its toll and Ilton were all out for 149 in 33.4 overs.

On Saturday, Huntspill entertain fellow mid-tablers North Perrott 2s still in with an outside chance of promotion.

***

THE last promotion hopes of Lympsham & Belvedere were blown away on Saturday as they lost by five wickets at home to Watchet in Division 3.

Put in to bat, Lympsham lost wickets early on but Dave Luff (24) and Neil Chadwick (22) steadied the ship.

Sam McCrea (46) carried on the good work with Tom Gooding (20) but the late order fell away to leave Lympsham on 156-9, L. Woolgrove taking 3-20.

Woolgrove was again to the fore as Watchet replied, hitting a top score of 74 and, as the innings faltered, Lovell hit an unbeaten 20 to see the visitors to victory.

Nilanjan Chatterjee took 3-51 off 9.

In Division 6N, Burnham-on-Sea 2s travelled to East Huntspill for a bottom-of-the-table derby and came home with a much-needed victory.

Put in to bat, Easts openers Wayne Hand (30) and George Gass (16) made a steady start but this was not backed up by the rest of the line-up as Jack Morgan (4-36) and Tom McCollum (3-22) bossed proceedings.

Easts were all out for 100, leaving Burnham a great chance for victory.

And they took it as Peter Gaylard (35) and Jack Morgan (50no) led them to an eight-wicket victory.

Leaders Wedmore continued their impressive season with a 35-run win at Temple Cloud.

Batting first, Wedmore lost skipper Billy Halford early on but Josh Burgess anchored the innings as Jack Tonkin (22), Tom Fozzard (52) and Phil Patch (58no) boosted the toal.

Burgess was still there on 67 as the innings closed with Wedmore on 225-3 off their 40 overs.

Cloud’s reply centred around the innings of Tom Haydon: while he was at the crease, their chances of victory were high.

However, D. Haining kept their progress in check, taking 3-38 including the vital wicket of Haydon for a well-made 62.

Alex Comer came in at No 10 to blast a valiant, unbeaten 30 but he ran out of partners as Josh Burgess finished off the innings with 4-14 off eight, leaving Cloud on 190.

Huntspill & District 2s ran out of steam chasing visitors’ Harptree Villages’ 194-7 in Division 7N.

Harry Stride top-scored with 40 for Harptree as Louis Wright and Will Daviees took two wickets apiece.

A late unbeaten 36 from Dan Smith boosted the score and it proved too much for Huntspill.

Openers Martyn Roper (25) and Craig Lefrere (27) put on 40 for the first wicket but it was downhill thereafter as Phil Hogarth took 3-20 off 8.

As a result, Huntspill ran out of overs still 57 runs short and two wickets in hand.

Mark had a torrid day at home to Lympsham & Belvedere 2s, who continued their promotion push with a 118-run victory.

Mark bowled well to restrict Lympsham to 168-9 as four batsmen fell in the 20s and S. Wall (3-50) and Tim Moxey (2-16 off 8) gave their side a chance.

But Mark’s batsmen failed to cope with Paul Davis (6-16 off 7) and Tom Ferris (3-23 off 8) who ripped through the line-up to bowl them out for just 50.

In Division 8N, Wedmore 2s lost their top-of-the-table clash with Cranmore 2s by three wickets.

Batting first, Wedmore openers Adam Stringer (52) and Marcus Lee (40) set up a big total, then skipper G. Atkins added an unbeaten 46 to take his side to a healthy 209-9.

Cranmore lost wickets regularly in the run chase but, while Terry Stone (58) was at the crease, the win was on.

The telling blows were struck by No 8 Nick White (34no), who ensured victory, despite Alfie Lavender’s 3-35.