WEPL Somerset Division

North Petherton 322-8 beat Staplegrove 86 by 236 runs

STAPLEGROVE suffered a battering at the hands of title-chasing North Petherton.

Grove captain Ian Bishop won the toss and decided to field and the Petherton openers grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

Ian Blackwell bludgeoned a quick-fire 56, including 10 4s and two 6s, while Dan Tottle's 71 included seven 4s and three 6s and the writing was on the wall for the Grove.

The first wicket fell at 116 and Thom Pantling also dismissed Harry Bowditch for three.

But that was only a small respite as Jacobus Pienaar took up the onslaught, hitting 69 with 10 4s and two 6s and Lewis Irish was one short of his half-century when out to Peter Horton.

Mike Burns added a quick-fire 25 and Petherton closed on a challenging 322-8 as the overs ran out.

Pantling salvaged a fine return of 3-40 off ten from among the mayhem, while Bishop picked up 3-50.

Staplegrove's reply never really got going when three wickets fell to Lewis Knight on 24 and Bishop fell to Knight with just one more run on the board.

Thom Pantling stuck around for a battling 20 and Jake Pantling hit 13 but it was a token gesture as the victory fell away.

Brendan Craggs showed what was possible with a fine, unbeaten 36 from number six, but it was former Somerset and England man Blackwell to polished off the innings, claiming the last five wicket to fall for just 17 runs, leaving Craggs stranded.

Knight ended up with 4-32 off 10 and Mike Burns with 1-18 to complete the rout.

The defeat all-but ends Staplegrove's aspirations of promotion but they will hope to get back on the winning trail on Saturday when they make the short trip to Ashbrittle.