A SUPERB batting display from Taunton Deane condemned local rivals Taunton to a nine-wicket defeat last Saturday and confirmed their relegation from Premier Two.

A monster, unbroken stand of 210 between teenager Joe Hewton (112) and John Francis (92) saw Deane cruise past Taunton's highest score of the season (244-5) with seven overs and nine wickets in hand.

Taunton skipper Reg Keates won the toss and chose to bat first without hesitation on a hard, dry Gipsy Lane wicket.

Openers Keates (42) and Somerset's Arul Suppiah (80) set the pace for the afternoon with a solid foundation of 98.

The loss of Keates in Phil Lewis' (10-1-44-2) second over made way for Jack Cooper (52) who continued to push the score on.

Suppiah then fell to a neat catch from Pat Thomas off the bowling of Jack Leach (15-1-87-1) for a well-crafted 80. He rotated the strike well and ensured the occasional loose delivery went to the boundary.

South African James Bullough smashed 38 in the latter part of the innings helping boost his team's total to a respectable 244-5.

Cam Proudlove bowled a tight spell for his side early on and spinner Thomas claimed a couple of handy wickets during his 11 overs.

Deane openers Tom Webley and Hewton batted sensibly through a tight opening spell from Wheeler (10-2-44-0) before the former was run out for 16 when the score was on 36.

Francis and Hewton set about building a huge partnership of 210, which carried Deane to victory.

The efforts of spinners Suppiah (8-0-47-0) and Keates (8-0-43-0) could do nothing to prevent the almost imminent defeat from the halfway stage of the innings.

This was youngster Hewton's maiden league century, which included 13 boundaries from a total of 135 balls, while classy Francis scored at a run a ball and ended the innings with a maximum over mid-wicket.

Deane, in the running for third place face Trowbridge in their last game of the season while relegated Taunton travel to Bristol West Indies.