CRICKET: Nathan Gilchrist on form as Taunton Deane beat Keynsham

TAUNTON Deane returned to winning ways with a 74-run win away to Keynsham last Saturday.

The Deane were put in to bat in the cold, damp conditions, and soon Tom Bryan had Tennessee Harlow (3) caught at short cover, driving loosely.

Bryan then had his second victim as Calvin Harrison (6) followed, somewhat unlucky to be caught down the leg side.

At 17-2 in the fourth over, Ali Warren was joined by Deane skipper Harry Thomas to rebuild the innings.

With the visitors gaining momentum, Keynsham spinner Sam Weller trapped Warren lbw for a patient 19.

And from 71-3 Deane subsided to 94-6 in the next 11 overs, as Tom Moy combined with Weller to take the next three wickets at a cost of 27 runs.

Captain Thomas (33) was next to fall, stumped by Alex Taylor, and debutant Will Smale (6) survived a couple of enthusiastic lbw appeals before the finger went up on the third occasion.

Nathan Gilchrist (7) looked intent on clearing the boundary and moving the score on, but an over-ambitious drive over mid-off proved his downfall as Jordan pouched an easy catch off.

Luke Williams (26) looked the most assured of the Deane batsmen before being bowled by a beauty from Bryan, who then had his fifth victim as Rob Pryke swiped across the line.

Sam Shaikh (35*) and Matt Derham (19*) shepherded the Deane innings, and the last four overs yielded 41 runs.

The last over brought 21 runs, as Shaikh landed three sixes towards the pavilion to take the away side to a more than competitive total of 191-9 from 50 overs.

Enthused by the final stages of their batting display, the Deane attack got off to the best possible start as Gilchrist breached the defence of Russ Wakefield (0) and Rob Pryke (1-21) got past Tom Bancroft (3) to leave the hosts on 14-2.

Gilchrist then claimed his second wicket before leg-spinner Calvin Harrison clean bowled Taylor (26).

With Keynsham 86-4, and Jarman steadfast at the other end, the game still seemed in the balance, but Gilchrist went up a gear.

He immediately accounted for Jarman (23) with a quick, well-directed bouncer which was shovelled high into the air for Ali Warren to take the catch.

The score of 87-5 became 107-7 as the impressive Gilchrist claimed his fourth and fifth wickets, Lewis Townsend (8) comprehensively bowled before Ben Clarke (1) inexplicably left a length ball that sent the off-stump cartwheeling.

Gilchrist ended with 5-26 from nine overs, before Harrison (2-27) had Martin Millard bowled for 11.

Captain Thomas brought himself on and duly bowled Bryan (3), before Derham hung onto a sharp catch at square leg to account for Weller first ball.

The last seven wickets had fallen for 40 runs as Deane celebrated an improbable 74-run victory, Keynsham subsiding to 117 all out.

The win keeps Deane in third ahead of Saturday’s visit of Ilminster (12.30pm).

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WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset
Lansdown 183-1 beat Taunton 182 by 9 wkts

TAUNTON’S tough start to the season continued as they were thumped by nine wickets at home against Lansdown on Saturday.

The hosts were put in to bat upon losing the toss and their first four batsmen each got in without kicking on, as Alex Sparks (15), James Cooper (16), Ben Phillips (19) and Dan Quick (17) failed to convert promising starts.

Captain Hugh Kelly held the innings together with 48, and the skipper received valuable lower-order support from James Clark (24) and Archie Dunning (19).

Taunton’s total of 182 was made to look light by Lansdown’s two Smiths, however, as Jordan Smith and Josh Smith each brought up half-centuries to put the result beyond doubt.

The home side made an overdue breakthrough when Oskar Samuel had the former caught by Phillips for 72, but Simon Cole (14*) joined Josh Smith to see the job through as the visitors recorded a surprisingly comfortable win.

Samuel (1-25) was the only bowler to end with a wicket to his name, while Phillips (0-8 from five) kept it tight early on, but the rest of the attack struggled to find consistency as the hosts used seven bowlers in search of a change in fortunes.

Taunton took three points from the match and sit second bottom of the table with four defeats from as many matches.

They do not have the chance to collect their first win this weekend, as it is their turn to miss a week in Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset following the odd number of teams brought about by Glastonbury’s withdrawal.

The following week (June 9), Taunton host Shapwick & Polden.

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WEPL Premier 1
Clevedon 201-9 beat Taunton St Andrew’s 196-9 by 5 runs

TAUNTON St Andrew’s were on the losing side for the first time this season as Clevedon won a tight game at the Wyvern Club on Saturday.

The hosts won the toss and, having put their visitors in, Joe Wadham got the breakthrough his excellent opening spell deserved when he trapped Greg Willows (8) lbw with the score on 37.

James Hayman (2-30 off 10) kept the pressure on at first change, having Max Curtis caught by Lloyd Alley, and key man Masoor Khan was then run out for a patient 29.

Clevedon were 72-4 when Jack Cooper dismissed Graham van Buuren but Harry Ellison and Jake Lintott combined to take the score into three figures.

Kyle Hopper (3-47) ensured wickets continued to fall regularly, but Will Plummer struck 39 not out in an innings which turned out to be vital in the context of the game and helped the visitors finish on 201-9.

The Saints reply was punctuated by a loss of wickets at crucial times as several batsmen got in but, where in previous games at least one has gone on to a match-defining score, this time they were made to pay.

Eddie Byrom (28) and Rob Contreras (30) ensured the chase got off to a steady start, and the Saints were well set at 112-2.

Jack Cooper made 24 in the middle order but became the eighth wicket to fall with 37 still needed.

Last-wicket pair Justin Burke (15*) and Wadham (7*) gave it a good go, but the hosts ended five runs short as they tasted defeat for the first time in 2018.

Saints skipper James Regan, who made 26, said: “Our lower order probably made it closer than it might have been and we were disappointed with the chase as we were happy to keep them to 200.

“We bowled really well. Joe Wadham was unbelievable up top and bowled as well as I’ve ever seen him bowl.

“He’s started the season superbly and has been the most consistent member of our attack - you know he’s going to give it his all every week and he’s a great player to have around the changing room.

“James Hayman bowled brilliantly too and then that was well backed up by the spinners.

“There are positives to take and things to learn from, so we’ve got to get our heads up and look to bounce back at Goatacre on Saturday.

“It’s our first long trek of the season but it’s quite nice to be going into the unknown - we don’t know too much about them or their players, and vice versa."