WEPL round-up: Latest from Taunton Deane, Taunton, Taunton St Andrew's, Staplegrove and Minehead

A SPARKLING century from the in-form Tom Banton helped Taunton St Andrew’s record a fine victory at Frocester on Saturday.

Batting first, the Saints lost last week’s star man Alex Millard for a duck but captain James Regan added 71 for the second wicket alongside Banton.

Regan fell for 21 and Lloyd Alley - only just back from Trinidad and Tobago - joined Banton to put together the match-winning partnership.

Banton - who has hit three centuries, including 248, for Somerset’s 2nd XI so far this summer - was well into his stride by now and showcased his extraordinary range of shots, with Alley an excellent foil as the pair added 175 runs for the third wicket.

Banton eventually departed for 136, which came from 121 balls and included 17 fours and two sixes, before a cameo 16 from Jack Cooper ended when he was caught.

Alley’s innings ended with the batsman on 89 from 108 balls, with 11 fours and a six, and from 278-5 upon his departure the Saints managed to post 319-6 as Kyle Hopper (10), JJ Poole (13*) and Deven Bell (11*) chipped in.

In reply, Joe Wadham claimed the sought after early wicket by trapping Ross Martin (4) lbw during a probing opening spell.

Wadham went on to remove three more of the top five on his way to figures of 4-31 from 10 overs, with Frocester slumping to 79-6.

All the visiting bowlers played their part, with Deven Bell (1-25 from eight), Justin Burke (1-20 from seven) and Jack Cooper (1-22 from six) each among the wickets before, fittingly, Banton (2-16) came on to finish the game.

The final wicket was that of opener Uzi Qureshi, who had dug in well for his 98, but the Saints were always in control as they recorded a second successive win having been promoted last year.

Captain James Regan said: “Tom [Banton] and Lloyd [Alley] were clinical from start to finish and showed their class.

“Tom’s range of shots was ridiculous - he just picked where he wanted to hit the ball and then did so.

“Joe Wadham started brilliantly with the ball and everyone bowled well, with Deven Bell back to his best.

“I said to the lads afterwards that winning becomes a habit and at the moment we are just 11 players really enjoying our cricket.”

This Saturday, the Saints - who currently sit top after their fine start - look to make it three wins from three as they travel to Bedminster, who have won one and lost one so far.

WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Som
Taunton Deane 117-5 beat Taunton 116 by 5 wkts

A YOUNG Taunton Deane side made it two wins from two with a well-earned win over local rivals Taunton CC at Gipsy Lane on Saturday.

Taunton captain Hugh Kelly had no hesitation in batting on first on a typically flat track and openers Alex Sparks and James Cooper started watchfully against Robert Pryke and new ball partner Harry Smith.

Cooper was first to fall for 17, caught sharply by Sam Loud at gully off the bowling of Pryke.

Fellow opener Sparks followed soon after, gloving a searing delivery from Smith (3-41) into the chest of wicket-keeper Sam Shaikh, who gladly claimed the rebound.

Smith then had Ollie Sale comprehensively bowled with one that nipped back then defeated Taunton captain Kelly in identical fashion.

From 30-4, Will Abell provided good resistance and formed a useful partnership with Dan Quick (15) before he was stumped by Sam Shaikh of the bowling of Suresh Rana (3-13).

WELL BOWLED: Taunton Deane's Suresh Rana

Abell threatened to kick on with some aggressive and well-timed strokes down the ground, but he succumbed soon after for 39 attempting an ill-conceived second run to Sam Loud patrolling the shorter offside boundary.

Liam Redrup (1-15) then accounted for Taunton stalwart Jon Kerslake, well caught at gully on the second attempt by the diving Luke Williams.

The returning Pryke (2-16) claimed his second wicket, keeper Shaikh taking another ferocious delivery via the glove off the unfortunate James Clark. 

Youngster Max Toohey was last out as Rana had him caught behind and Taunton were all out for 116 in the 32nd over.

The Deane reply started well as openers Ali Warren and Sam Loud were pleased to accept the extras that came their way in otherwise testing conditions against the new ball. 

Loud (11) fell first to James Hayes (1-23) and Calvin Harrison came and went amid a flurry of boundaries for a brisk 17. 

Ali Warren was the third Deane wicket to fall, lbw to the impressive left-arm spin of 15-year-old Max Toohey.

At 60-3, Harry Smith joined Deane skipper Harry Thomas and with a certain edginess entering the run chase, Taunton turned to spin at both ends.

Smith was the next fall, lbw to Toohey for three and it was Toohey who claimed the scalp of Thomas as Taunton fell to a somewhat perilous 77-5. 

Sam Shaikh joined Williams and after a few ill-placed boundaries, the two left handers brought up the Deane hundred. 

Content with not taking any further risks, the Deane victory was sealed without further alarm midway through the 25th over.

The Deane took 19 points and will look back on a job well done for a young team who are improving with every game. 

Next up for the Deane is a top-of-the-table clash against Weston-super-Mare at The Convent Field (12.30pm). 

A victory for the Deane will see them grace the top of the Premier 2 table for the first time since 2013, the season they were crowned league champions at the expense of their next opponents.

WEPL Somerset Division
Chard 93-1 beat Staplegrove 92 by 9 wkts

STAPLEGROVE were undone by Chard’s spin twins as they went down to a nine-wicket defeat at Manor Road on Saturday.

The hosts were progressing steadily early on having won the toss and chosen to bat, with Thomas Pantling (26) and Lee Pope (33) putting together a 58-run opening stand.

Once Chris Scott and Jon Dalwood were introduced it became a different story, however, with the spinners sharing the scalps as Staplegrove lost all 10 wickets for just 34 runs.

Scott, who had taken league record-equalling figures of 8-8 against Minehead the previous week, continued his superb start to the season and finished with figures of 6-22 from six overs, while Dalwood claimed 4-12 from 5.4.

Aside from the openers, Joe Greenwood (13) was the only other home batsman to make it into double figures as Staplegrove slipped to 92 all out in 20.4 overs.

In reply, William Parkman (1-26) claimed an early breakthrough for Staplegrove, dismissing Jonathan Scott lbw for eight to leave the score 17-1.

That was as good as it got for the hosts, however, as Nathan Johnson and Harvey Dening led their side home with a minimum of fuss.

Johnson finished unbeaten on 45 and Dening walked off with 36 not out as, despite miserly bowling from Ryan Cleverly (0-13 from five) and Ian Bishop (0-8 from four), Chard sealed victory in the 21st over.

Staplegrove, who have lost each of their opening two matches and sit second bottom in the WEPL Somerset table, will be eager for improvement as they welcome Minehead on Saturday.

WEPL Somerset Division
Minehead 287-7 beat North Petherton 214 by 73 runs

MINEHEAD picked up their first win of the season on Saturday led by a fine knock from skipper Dan Bowditch.

Batting first, Minehead got off to an excellent start with Ian Buchanan (15) and, in particular, Freddie Wilson (31) finding the boundary regularly.

Their partnership was 52 by the time both fell in quick succession but captain Bowditch and Brad Martin joined each other and set about building on the solid start.

Bowditch was first past 50, quickly followed by his batting partner as they brought up their 100 partnership in good time. 

The score read 190 by the time Martin fell for 69 as Bowditch and new man Alastair Harrison looked to accelerate into the last 10 overs. 

Bowditch fell for 86 but Harrison (29) and Steve Hayes (25no) continued the onslaught with numerous boundaries before Hayes struck a towering six off the last ball of the innings to give his side a superb total of 287-7 from their allotted overs.

The North Petherton reply stuttered early on as Minehead’s Hayes (2-30) and Ellis Taylor (2-17) bowled with great consistency to reduce their opponents to 30-3 inside the first 10 overs.

However, visiting skipper Paul Short and overseas player Ryan Meppem set about rescuing their side, taking the score past the 100 mark at the halfway point. 

With the required run rate increasing, Short struck two 6s in four balls before his new-found freedom led to his downfall as he was well caught at long on by Harrison off the bowling of Andrew Woodward (1-45) for 58.

The introduction of Jay Darrell in the 40th over saw the end of Meppem for 83 as he was also caught attempting an expansive shot. 

Darrell helped himself to classy figures of three overs, 5-10, as the Petherton tail succumbed to his pace and accuracy to leave the visitors all out for 214 and give Minehead the full 20 points from the game.

They travel to Staplegrove on Saturday looking to add another 20 points to their tally.