WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Som

Taunton Deane 134-9d beat Lansdown 68 by 66 runs

TAUNTON Deane secured their WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset status in style after blitzing visitors Lansdown on Saturday.

The Deane went into the game with a 17-point cushion over their opponents so needed a win to make sure of their survival, and they elected to bat upon winning the toss.

They got off to the worst possible start, however, as star batsman Robert Woodman fell to the very first ball of the match to leave Sam Underdown and Jack Fraser with a rebuilding job on their hands.

The pair took the score to 37 before Fraser departed for four, and once Harry Thomas (5) and Alistair Warren (0) had also fallen cheaply the Deane were struggling on 52-4.

Underdown was going well, however, and found a willing partner in Henry Mellor as the duo added 36 for the fifth wicket before Underdown fell for a vital 56.

Another flurry of wickets followed, but Mellor stayed and made his way to 31 before becoming the ninth man out, at which point the hosts declared on 134-9 after 46.1 overs.

Just as their opponents had done earlier in the day, the Deane struck in the very first over as Matt Derham had Jordan Smith caught by Underdown without scoring.

The hosts had their tails up and, with Rob Pryke (2-17) also enjoying early success, had soon reduced Lansdown to 18-4.

Edward Mellor then entered the fray and claimed 3-16 to prevent the visitors developing any partnerships of real substance, and Derham returned to seal the win as he finished with 4-20 as Lansdown were bowled out for just 68.

The Deane leapfrogged Shapwick & Polden to finish seventh, but will be hoping for an improvement in 2018.

WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Som

Bishopston 214-9 beat Taunton 213-9 by 1 wkt

TAUNTON ended their campaign with an agonising one-wicket defeat at home to Bishopston.

The hosts batted first and got off to a strong start through openers Charles Clist (36) and Simon Manley (18), though both fell with the score on 63.

On a day which saw all the top five batsmen contribute, Dan Quick (24), Jack Cooper (33) and Will Abell (51) helped Taunton into a good position, but the lower order fell away cheaply as they ended their innings on 213-9.

Joe Gore, who has been representing Somerset's 2nd XI of late, tore into the Bishopston batsmen in reply and removed both openers without scoring as the visitors slipped to 2-2.

Bishopston stayed in the game, however, with valuable middle order contributions coming from Mark Coombes (21), Jamie Tapper (34) and Gary Booth (18).

The key knock, however, came from David O'Brien, who struck 13 boundaries on his way to 90 and looked as if he would win the game for his side.

He then became the eighth man to fall, clean bowled by Jack Cooper (1-26), and the visitors still required 17 runs with just two wickets left.

Despite another wicket for Gore, who ended with 4-52, last-wicket pair Ryan Adams and Stuart Hepburn each finished unbeaten on seven to guide their side over the line.

Taunton's defeat ensured they finished the season in fifth place.

WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Som

Taunton St Andrew's 137-6 beat Glastonbury 136 by 4 wkts

CHAMPIONS Taunton St Andrew's underlined their superiority by finishing the season in fitting fashion with a four-wicket win over Glastonbury.

More details to follow when a scorecard becomes available.