WEPL Premier One

Taunton Deane 152-9 lost to Clevedon 155-3 by seven wickets

TAUNTON Deane’s recent batting woes continued as they failed to reach 200 for the fourth week running in a sixth straight league defeat at new boys Clevedon on Saturday.

Deane, batting first on a good wicket and slick outfield, could only muster 152-9 – thanks mainly to contributions from John Rogers (30) and Jack Leach (31).

But the visitors were unable to break free from the shackles, with Clevedon’s 29 overs of spin costing just 88 runs.

After openers Sam Loud (5) and Sam Shaikh (10) had both fallen to Sri Lankan all-rounder Andy Solomons (2-28), Australian Rogers started brightly with two early boundaries.

The left-hander struck two more, before he was clean bowled by the spin of Adeel Khan – and when Alastair Warren was trapped LBW by Jacob Lintott, Deane were reeling at 82-4.

And things didn’t get any better for Phil Saxby’s side, as Jack Fraser offered a return catch to Lintott and Leach, looking well set on 31, edged behind off the bowling of Matt Carpenter (4-19).

Captain Saxby added 19 to take his side past the 150-mark, but Deane closed on what looked to be a sub-par total.

And so it proved, as Clevedon, led by Somerset and Scotland all-rounder Josh Davey (69no) cruised home inside 29 overs.

Jack Leach (1-43), Luke Whitear (1-30) and Jack Fraser (1-17) were the wicket takers for Deane, but a quick-fire 28 from Lintott soon took the game away from them – and a boundary from Solomons (4no) brought an end to proceedings to condemn Deane to another defeat and keep them in the bottom two.

They travel to Ilminster on Saturday.