CRICKET: James Hayman takes six wickets for Taunton St Andrew's against Ilminster

THE Saints continued their all-conquering start to the league season with a comprehensive victory over Ilminster at The Wyvern Club on Saturday.

After being put in to bat, skipper James Regan and Ed Byrom (11) took the score to 29 before Byrom became the first of Harry Montacute’s two victims.

Michael Leask joined Regan at the wicket and the pair improved the score to 78 when Leask went for 30.

Richard Elswood then took the wickets of Kevin Parsons and Kyle Hooper in quick succession, leaving the Saints on 88-4.

Regan was soon to follow for a watchful 34.

It was Rob Contreras who took up the cudgel, joining forces with Deven Bell (10) and James Hayman (10no) to edge the score up to 183-8 as the overs ran out.

Contreras made 46 on a difficult track as Elswood ended with 3-25 off 10 fine overs.

There were also two wickets apiece for Montacute and Louis Kraucamp, while James Thompson took the other for just 27 runs off his 10 overs.

Ilminster opener Louis Kraucamp set off after the total in positive mood, dominating the early overs.

When the visitors lost their first wicket with 50 on the board, Kraucamp had reached 36no.

But, he was third man down, the victim of Michael Leask, for 61 as the score stood on 82-3... and that was the beginning of a very quick end.

James Hayman came in to bowl and he captured the wicket of Ilminster skipper Sam Spurway as he ran through the middle order, taking 6-28 off 10 overs.

Deven Bell ended with 2-8 off five overs and Leask 2-17 off eight as Ilminster lost their last seven wickets for just 16 runs.

The victory moved the Saints 19 points ahead of nearest rivals Taunton after just four games.

On Saturday, they make the tricky trip to Bishopston, who beat the Deane last weekend.

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WEPL Premier Two Bristol/Somerset
Taunton 322-6 beat Claverham 319-4 by four wickets

A RUN-A-BALL century from Dan Quick enabled Taunton to chase down a big total at Claverham on Saturday.

The home side opted to bat first on a good track and, after Joe Gore captured the wicket of Mitchell Bench with 10 on the board, Claverham progressed to 124-4 when Duval Pierre joined Ryan Thorpe at the wicket.

They proceeded to display an array of magnificent shots as Taunton’s bowling attack toiled away without any further success.

Thorpe was unbeaten on 114 off 98 balls and Pierre posted 104 off 83 in a great display, taking their side to 319-4 off 50 overs.

Despite losing two wickets with 58 on the board, Taunton were always up with the rate as opener Charles Clist kept the scoreboard ticking over.

He was joined by Quick and, together, they added 93 in good time before Clist was run out for 64.

Quick continued his assault on the home attack and received useful support from Blake Coburn (12) and William Abell (30).

The key partnership came when Tom Diamond arrived at the wicket with the score on 260-6.

Cooper and Diamond took every opportunity of every run, maintaining the momentum as the overs ran out.

They crossed the line with four balls remaining, Quick unbeaten on 121 off 114 balls and Diamond with 35no off 28.

The victory keeps Taunton in second place behind Taunton St Andrew’s and they next travel to play mid-table Glastonbury on Saturday.

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WEPL Premier Two Bristol/Somerset
Bishopston 232-6 beat Taunton Deane 231 by four wickets

A SPARKLING 91 from Lorenzo Machado failed to halt the Deane’s slide towards the bottom of the table at Bishopston on Saturday.

Electing to bat first, Deane lost Jack Frazer with only 22 on the board but Machado and Calvin Harrison settled the innings, taking the score to 89 when the latter fell for 22.

Sam Loud (14) kept Machado company and, when he departed, in came Ali Warren for a studied 30.

Machado was fourth man down nine short of his century, leaving the middle order to press on to a big score.

However, the quest for quick runs failed as wickets fell regularly in the wake of Jacob Duffy who returned to take three of the last four wickets to fall and ending with 4-32 from nine overs.

Harry Smith went for 19 and only William Hardwick, with 14, troubled the scorers in the final fling.

There were two wickets for Jamie Napper and one apiece for Joe Wenham and Lawrence Cook as Deane were all out 50 short of a challenging total.

When Bishopston took to the crease, Rob Pryke and William Hardwick made immediate inroads into the home line-up.

They had them tottering on 22-3, which included a smart run out by Warren and 200-plus looked a long way off.

Mark Coombes and Jamie Tapper then began to claw back the innings, adding 87 in good time.

Coombes then fell to Jason Squire for 31 and Tapper was joined by James Taverner.

Pryke returned to take the prized wicket of Tapper for a fine 87 which included 15 4s and a 6 and, at 160-6, it was game back on.

However, any hopes of victory soon fell away as Gary Booth and Duffy restored calm in the Bishopston ranks and passed the required total with three overs remaining.

Booth was unbeaten on 42 and Duffy added 26no to his fine bowling performance.

Pryke took 2-31 off nine overs and there were wickets for Hardwick, Squire and Harrison.

The defeat sees Deane second-from-bottom with just one victory out of four.

On Saturday, they travel to face a Claverham side just a point above them.