WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Som
Taunton Deane 223-5 beat Taunton St Andrew's 222 by 5 wkts

TAUNTON Deane gained revenge for their early-season defeat against Taunton St Andrew's by defeating the league leaders by five wickets on derby day at The Convent Field on Saturday.

The hosts elected to field upon winning the toss, and made a bright start as Rob Pryke removed James Regan (19) before Tom Walsh clean bowled Kyle Hopper (4) as Saints were reduced to 35-2.

Henry Mellor then made a key breakthrough, having Somerset batsman Eddie Byrom caught by Calvin Harrison for 27, but Lloyd Alley was proving the thorn in the Deane side as he brought up his half century.

Alley's departure for 55 then sparked a mini-collapse as Saints fell from 151-4 to 161-7, and it took lower order contributions from JJ Poole (21) and James Hayman (28) to take the visitors to 222.

Pryke (5-60) shone with the ball for Deane, while his new ball partner Walsh took 2-48.

The home side's response started well, with Robert Woodman and Lorenzo Machado adding 32 for the first wicket before the latter was dismissed by Alley for six.

Sam Underdown (32) joined Woodman and took the Deane score to 97 before falling lbw to Rob Contreras (2-19), and the game was in the balance when skipper Harry Thomas departed for 12 to leave the hosts 128-3.

A good partnership was needed to settle any nerves, and that's exactly what was provided as Calvin Harrison struck six boundaries on his way to 35 while Woodman continued to motor at the other end.

Both fell in fairly quick succession, with Woodman departing nine short of his century, but by that point the job was as good as done and it was left to Jack Fraser (17*) and Henry Mellor (6*) to see the Deane over the line.

WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Som
Taunton 248-8 beat Keynsham 193 by 55 runs

SOMERSET’S Tom Abell was named Cooper Associates Man of the Match after his contributions with both bat and ball helped Taunton defeat Keynsham by 55 runs.

Batting first at the ground where Marcus Trescothick played his early cricket, Taunton got off to a strong start thanks to 49 from Abell, 50 from his opening partner Charles Clist and 48 from Dan Quick.

Captain Ben Phillips added an unbeaten 35 from 18 balls at the death as the visitors finished their 50 overs on 248-8.

Keynsham's reply began steadily, but Abell tore through the middle order on his way to 3-20 as Keynsham fell to 86-5.

Taylor Williams (42) and Tom Bancroft (32) added 93 for the sixth wicket as the hosts launched a fightback, but Phillips (2-10) removed Bancroft and the victory was wrapped up when Abell took a catch off the bowling of his brother, Will, as Taunton closed out the victory.