West of England Premier Cricket League 
Somerset Division
Weston-super-Mare 1st XI 88-2 beat Chard 1st XI 86 all out by 8 wkts

CHARD’S struggles in the WEPL Somerset Division continued as they were on the wrong end of a home drubbing by second-placed Weston-super-Mare.

Weston boasted the talents of Somerset players Ryan Davies and Peter Trego, the latter taking three wickets and scoring an unbeaten half-century.

Hosts Chard won the toss and chose to bat first, reaching 18 before Nathan Johnson (3) fell to Tom Chambers.

Danny Cleal (15) and Matthew Micale (23) made decent progress, but Trego then dismantled the middle order, accounting for Pete Moxom (4), Liam Cleal (2) and Jon Dalwood (1).

Chris Scott (16no) resisted, but Chard lost their last four wickets for one run, as Charl Willoughby tidied up – the hosts all out in 29 overs.

Willoughby ended with 3-17 off eight overs, Trego 3-21 off seven and Patrick Howes 2-11 off two.

Chasing 87 to win, Weston started steadily, before Davies (16) was bowled by Dalwood at 17-1.

That brought Trego into the middle, and he smashed 53 not out (off 36 balls) to take Weston to victory in 14.1 overs, with eight wickets in hand.

Chard took one point, and they sit third from bottom – 11 points ahead of Minehead and 12 up on Temple Cloud.

This Saturday they go to fifth-placed Bridgwater 2nds (1pm).

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WEPL Somerset Division
North Perrott 1st XI 364-3 beat Temple Cloud 1st XI 129 all out by 235 runs

TROY Johnson and Jake Symes scored a century apiece as North Perrott destroyed hosts Temple Cloud to make it eight wins from eight in the WEPL Somerset Division.

Perrott won the toss and elected to bat first, with openers Alex Eckland and George Retter taking the score to 34 before Retter fell for 23.

That brought Johnson to the crease, and he rapidly set about upping the scoring rate.

Eckland fell for 26 to leave on Perrott 70-2 but that was the last wicket to fall for quite some time as Johnson and Symes made hay.

Johnson scored a mammoth 159 off 125 balls (with 15 4s and six 6s) and Symes, not to be undone, made an unbeaten 113 off 103 balls (eight 4s and three 6s).

When Johnson eventually fell, caught and bowled by Andrew Mortimer, Perrott were on 333-3.

Symes kept piling on the runs and Nick Taylor added 10 of his own as the visitors finished their 50 overs on 364-3.

The hosts’ wicket-takers were Simon Mahoney (1-26), Chris Diaper (1-69) and Mortimer (1-75) on a tough afternoon for the bowling attack.

It was a huge total for league strugglers Temple Cloud to chase, and they suffered a horrendous start as opener Simon Curtis was caught by Taylor off Stacy Hawes for a duck, putting the hosts on 0-1.

Joshua Marshall-James bowled Stef McHale (0) to leave the home side 1-2, but Courtney Forrest (19) and Kevin Curtis (52) got their team to 46-3 and 80-4 – Hawes dismissing both.

Of the remaining batsmen, only Mortimer (11), Miles Hackett (21) and Mark Hamblin (13) showed much resistance as Hawes, Johnson and Lorraine Szczepanski tore through the order.

The hosts collapsed from 120-7 to 129 all out in 28.3 overs.

Hawes finished with 4-49 off 10 overs, Johnson 3-20 off 4.3 and Szczepanski 2-28 off seven.

Perrott collected 20 points, which keeps them 15 points ahead of Weston-super-Mare, and extends their winning run to eight league matches.

As for Temple Cloud, their two-point return saw them leapfrogged by Minehead to drop to the bottom.

This coming Saturday Perrott host Minehead, who are on a three-match losing run, with the game starting at 1pm.

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T20 Bash Cricket comes to North Perrott Cricket Club on Tuesday, July 11, when Somerset County Cricket Club take on Dorset County Cricket Club, in a practice match for the former’s NatWest T20 Bash competition.

Somerset director of cricket Matthew Maynard has promised to bring a strong side to North Perrott, the match being a good opportunity to prepare for this summer’s campaign.

It is hoped that the Cidermen will field the likes of Dean Elgar, T20 signing Corey Anderson, Craig and Jamie Overton, Lewis Gregory and James Hildreth, while Dorset could include Alex Eckland and Gordon Whorlow from the host club in their side.

With Perrott sitting top of the WEPL Somerset Division with eight straight wins, there is a feelgood atmosphere at the village cricket ground.

The match will begin at 5pm; admission costs £10 for adults, and £5 for OAPs and students in possession of a valid student card, while Under-16s (accompanied by an adult) go free, as do Dorset and Somerset CCC members.

Car parking is free, with a barbecue and bar facilities at the ground; spectators are advised to bring a comfy chair to enjoy the action.

Tickets can be bought from North Perrott CC, via Dorset CCC’s website or at the gate on the day.