WEPL cricket: Wins for Taunton St Andrew's and Taunton Deane, defeats for Taunton and Staplegrove

TAUNTON St Andrew’s celebrated their return to WEPL Premier 1 with an excellent victory over reigning champions Bath at the Wyvern Club on Saturday.

The visitors elected to bat but were restricted by some tight bowling from new signing Justin Burke (1-27 off eight) and Joe Wadham, who dismissed Somerset’s Tim Rouse for 10 on his way to 2-27 from seven overs.

ACTION: Justin Burke bowls for Taunton St Andrew's

Saints, boosted by the notable energy in the field, took wickets at regular intervals as the spinners took control of the middle overs.

Jack Cooper, like Burke making a debut following a winter switch from Taunton, took 3-18 wrap up the innings as Bath were bowled out for 201.

Saints openers Tom Banton and Joe Millard added 28 before the in-form Somerset man fell for 16, and captain James Regan followed shortly afterwards without scoring.

Jack Cooper (15) and Kyle Hopper (14) chipped in before JJ Poole came to the wicket to join Millard at 97-4 with plenty of work still to do.

The pair played superbly to see Saints home, adding an unbroken 107 with Poole ending on 37 and Millard finishing with 94 to his name at better than a run a ball, with 10 fours and five sixes.

Captain James Regan said: “It was a brilliant way to start and everyone from one to 11 played their part.

“Alex [Millard] is at University in Gloucestershire and has been keen to get involved - he played brilliantly and with a maturity beyond his years.

“He and JJ Poole were very calm and always in control, and by the end it was fairly comfortable.

“It was a great day and a real confidence boost but it would be foolish for us to get carried away.

“There are some fantastic teams in this league - I was looking at the scorecards from the weekend and some of them almost have First Class batting line-ups.”

Next up for Saints is a trip to Frocester on Saturday.

WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Som
Keynsham 174-9 beat Taunton 172 by 1 wkt

TAUNTON were edged out by one wicket in an entertaining clash at Keynsham which went down to the wire.

The visitors, a man light, batted first and got off to a solid start thanks to openers Simon Manley and James Cooper.

Cooper was unfortunate to play on to his own stumps on 18 as the first wicket fell with the score on 37, and Dan Quick nicked a fine delivery behind to depart for a duck.

Captain Will Abell pushed the score to 60 before falling for 10, with Manley next to go for a patient 29.

Alex Sparks made 13 on his debut before James Clarke (37) and Jon Kerslake (35) both made valuable runs.

Clark was particularly strong on the off-side and, after he departed, Kerslake played watchfully to ensure Taunton didn't leave too many overs unused.

Taunton ended up posting 172 and were then unfortunate not to pick up more early wickets, with Joe Hayes' probing opening spell deserving better.

Abell opened the bowling at the other end and picked up three scalps, two of which were superb catches - one by wicketkeeper Kerslake, diving forwards to claim an inside edge, and another by Joe Clark at backward point as he held on to a vicious cut shot at full stretch.

Manley (2-20) then reduced the hosts to 79-5, with Kerslake taking another fine catch standing up to the stumps, but opener Tom Bancroft remained unmoved.

Abell (5-39) returned to complete his five-fer, James Breakwell took 2-23 and Clark (0-26) deserved at least a couple of wickets from a testing spell, but Bancroft's unbeaten 58 saw his side home by the narrowest of margins.

WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Som
Taunton Deane 288-6 beat Bishopston 204-8 by 84 runs

A CENTURY from captain Robert Woodman and half-century from the evergreen Ali Warren gave Taunton Deane the perfect start to their campaign at the Convent Field on Saturday.

After electing to bat, Woodman and Warren started watchfully against a Bishopston attack led by the miserly Jack Hunter.

Woodman then put his foot on the accelerator, more than doubling the Deane score to 122-0 off 20 and then 155-0 at drinks in the 25th, reaching his 50 from just 38 balls.

Warren played the perfect foil, reaching his own half-century from 73 balls before he was caught at long-on.

There was no respite for the Bishopston attack and Calvin Harrison joined Woodman to add a further 48 runs in the next eight overs before Woodman offered a catch to cover to depart with 122 from 108 balls and the Deane on 250-3 in the 40th over.

Harrison fell for 41 but Harry Thomas (15), Harry Smith (8) and debutant Luke Williams (18 not out) pushed the Deane to 288-6 before a declaration in the 45th over.

There was no respite for Bishopston, who found themselves 28-3 in reply.

Nate Gilchrist (0-17 from eight) and Suresh Rana (1-33 from nine) gave the Deane a tight grip on proceedings, with the young Gilchrist combining good pace and accuracy on a placid wicket.

David O’Brien (28) threatened to rebuild for Bishopston but he was excellently run out by Calvin Harrison and, though Mark Coombes (30) and Jamie Tapper (26) resisted to reach 85-3 at drinks, the Deane still felt in control.

Calvin Harrison (0-36) and Ben Osborne (1-13) ensured the pressure never relented, Osborne having Tapper caught at point, and leg-spinner Luke Williams bowled impressively and accounted for Coombes and Gary Booth to leave Bishopston on 114-6.

Jack Hunter (43) and Joe Wenham (36 not out) pushed the visitors to 185 and another bonus point before captain Frank Connelly was stumped by Sam Shaikh as Bishopston finished on 204-8, an 84-run win for the Deane.

An early season derby takes place on Saturday as the Deane travel across town to play Taunton at Taunton Vale (12.30pm).

The game will be followed by Somerset and England’s Jack Leach donning his Deane cap again to officially open the new bar at the clubhouse at 9pm. All friends and family are welcome.

WEPL Somerset
North Petherton 138-9 beat Staplegrove 137 by 1 wkt

STAPLEGROVE began their campaign with a narrow defeat at North Petherton.

The visitors batted first but, after a steady start which saw the opening pair put on 30, wickets fell regularly with several batsmen getting starts but failing to kick on.

Lee Pope (23) top-scored, and from 80-6 on his departure the visitors managed to push on to 137 thanks to William Parkman (20) and Ryan Cleverly (19).

Parkman then took the new ball and removed both openers clean bowled as Pethy fell to 16-2.

That brought Australian Ryan Meppem to the crease and he proceeded to play the match-winning knock, making 58 as wickets fell around him, mainly to Miles Quick (4-42).

Meppem eventually fell, lbw to Cleverly with 10 runs still needed, but the home side's final pair saw them home despite Parkman (4-29) returning to take two more wickets and complete a fine all-round display.

WEPL Somerset
Chard 182-9 beat Minehead 100 by 82 runs

CHARD'S Chris Scott left Minehead in a spin on Saturday, taking a league record-equalling 8-8 to decide the outcome of the contest.

Pete Moxom (47) and Scott Wells-Burr (39) were the primary contributors to Chard's 182-9, with Dan Bowditch (3-26) and Ian Buchanan (3-30) leading the way with the ball for Minehead.

Freddie Wilson flew out the traps in reply, striking two sixes in his 24, but became Scott's second victim when Richard Scott, brother of Chris, took a fine diving catch to leave Minehead 40-4.

Chris Scott did the rest, with only Stephen Hayes (28) offering much in the way of visiting resistance as Minehead were bowled out for 100 in the 32nd over.