WET weather caused havoc to the cricket fixtures on the first day of the 2012 season in the West of England Premier League.

Only a handful of games survived after the region was deluged by rain in the days ahead of the big start.

One match which was played was in Premier One where Taunton Deane narrowly lost by five runs at Corsham.

Deane skipper Russell Jones won the toss and elected to bowl and Dave Reading removed both openers to leave Corsham on 40-2.

Thomas Hankins and Sam Collier moved the score on to 79 before Hankins was bowled by Jones for 48 which was struck off 29 balls and included six boundaries and three sixes.

Deane began to get runs at regular intervals, but there was a key undefeated knock of 26 by tail-ender Ben Gardner as Corsham closed on 203-9 off of their 50 overs. Reading was the pick of the bowling attack with 3-29 from ten overs.

Their reply started in terrible fashion with opener Jon Hudd going for a duck and Robert Woodman falling for just four to leave them on 11-2.

That soon became 19-3 when Jack Leach went for 12 and then it was 32- 4 when Phil Saxby departed for five.

But Deane got back into the game thanks to Sam Burgess who hit 62 off of 78 balls before becoming the sixth wicket to fall to leave them on 18.

More runs were added by Joe Pantling, skipper Jones, wicketkeeper Sam Shaikh and Dave Reading as they moved to within five runs of Corsham’s total.

But when Reading went for 13, it left last man Jonathan Taylor stranded on his own in the middle.

Taunton Deane 2nds’ match at home against their Corsham counterparts in the Premier One 2nd XI competition was cancelled.

Deane 1sts are at home this Saturday when Gloucester City Winget are the visitors, while the 2nds travel to face Warminster 2nds.

Taunton St Andrews will be hoping to get their Premier One campaign started on Saturday when they play host to Corsham, while the Saints 2nds are away at Corsham in the Premier One 2nd XI.

Last weekend both the St Andrews’1sts and 2nds had games against Bristol cancelled.

Taunton fell to a heavy nine-wicket defeat at Old Bristolians Westbury in the Bristol and Somerset Division.

The home side won the toss and elected to bowl and they ripped through the Taunton order to dismiss them for just 98 in the 32nd over.

Both openers Simon Manley and Hugh Kelly went for a single, while number three Jonathan Kerslake departed for just three.

Jack Cooper (16) and Robert Dickins (34) tried to restore some respectability, but it was too little with Gian Botha claiming 5-20 from 5.4-overs.

Old Bristolians reached the winning post in the 21st over with the loss of one over with opener Russ Baker finishing on 54 not out.

Taunton 2nds saw their home match with Ilminster 2nds in the Premier Two 2nd XI competition cancelled.

Taunton 1sts will be hoping for better fortunes this weekend when they play host to Midsomer Norton, while the 2nds travel to Cheltenham.

Minehead faced a washout weekend in the Bristol and Somerset Division when their away game at Bristol West Indians was cancelled, as was the Taunton 2nds and their home match in the Bristol and Somerset 2nd XI competition with the West Indians.

Minehead are scheduled to be at home this Saturday with Old Bristolians Westbury, while the Minehead 2nds are away at the OB’s 2nds.

Bishops Lydeard saw their Somerset Division match at home to Butleigh cancelled. They travel to face Wembdon this weekend.

Staplegrove had their Somerset Division match at Ilton cancelled.

They are at home to Street this weekend.