Somerset Cricket League Division Two

Burnham 158-9 beat East Coker 123 by 35 runs

TOBY Keast and Brian Brogden combined to fire Burnham to a 35-run victory over East Coker on Saturday.

Australian Keast scored 51 before taking 3-34 with his leg-spin, while veteran bowler Brogden returned impressive figures of 5-26 to complete a sixth win of the season for the home side.

Burnham batted first and lost Pete Harris (2) early on, when he offered a catch to mid-wicket off the leading edge.

Dave Worthington (30) and Rob Driver (19) took the score past 50, but the latter’s dismissal triggered a flurry of wickets in the Burnham middle-order, as Ed Booth (2), Grad House (14) and Jim Bloodworth (12) all fell in quick succession – with East Coker’s A. Young (6-47) doing the damage with the ball.

But up stepped Keast to save the innings, finding the boundary at regular intervals to take Burnham to a competitive total.

He was out shortly after reaching a well-deserved half-century and S Green (2no) and Brogden (2no) ensured Burnham batted their full 45 overs.

Mike Green (1-24) made an early breakthrough in Coker’s reply, as he removed J Morton for three.

At the other end, S. Green (1-37) got in on the act with a wicket of his own, before Burnham’s match-winning duo got to work.

Keast and Brogden were at their deadliest, removing L. Clarke (9), A. Tinsley (34) and P. Willingale (6) in a flash to swing the game in Burnham’s favour.

L. Tinsley (23) offered some resistance for the visitors, as did B. Morton (25) – but their efforts weren’t enough to withstand Keast and Brogden.

The game was eventually wrapped up with the final ball of the 40th over, as T. Ross became Keast’s third victim.

Burnham move up to fourth in Division Two and make the short journey to North Newton on Saturday.