WEPL Premier Two

Taunton 242-9 lost to Lechlade 244-2 by eight wickets

A SIXTH league century of the season from the WEPL’s leading run scorer condemned Taunton to an eight-wicket defeat to Lechlade on Saturday.

Bradley Dial - who has already amassed a remarkable 1,216 runs in Premier Two already this season - struck an unbeaten 130 from 127 balls as Lechlade chased down Taunton’s 242-9 with 22 balls to spare.

The South African struck 10 fours and three sixes and was well supported by Joe Breet (79*).

Jack Cooper (89) top scored for the hosts on another good batting wicket at Gipsy Lane, but the Taunton innings was a tale of starts without substance, as eight players made it into double figures, but only three passed 20.

George Webber scored 31 at the top of the order, while Harry Popplewell added an unbeaten 21 lower down.

With what appeared to be a below par score on the board, Taunton needed early wickets to claw themselves back into the game - so when Ben Phillips (1-30) dismissed James Palmer and Sam Burdock was run-out by a smart piece of work from Jon Kerslake, the hosts were right back in contention.

But Dial continued to cash in on a rich vein of form with an astounding sixth league century of the campaign to go with his four fifties – and together with Breet, quickly took the game away from Taunton, who now face a nervy battle to secure the runners-up spot in Premier Two and promotion to the top division.

Taunton travel to struggling Goatacre on Saturday, leading third-place Keynsham by just two points. .