CRICKET: Chard and North Perrott pick up West of England Premier League wins

A DEPLETED Chard, missing their two ‘attack’ spinners and Pete Moxom, entertained North Petherton on Saturday.

Pethy were soon under way with Lloyd Irish (50) in his usual assertive role.

However, Joe Draper and Richard Scott applied the brakes in their slow medium conservative style and wickets started to fall at regular intervals.

Nick Revans (32) provided only resistance as Pethy were all out for 164 in the 40th over - principal wicket takers for Chard were Akhona Mbanga (3-39) and John Scott (3-16).

In reply, Chard quickly lost Nathan Johnson but Harvey Dening and Scott Wells-Burr proceeded steadily until the latter was adjudged lbw on eight.

Liam Cleal then joined Harvey Dening and the score climbed steadily with Harvey being savage on anything loose but a mix-up saw Cleal (6) run out.

Brother Danny Cleal then came and was soon into his stride, his clean striking speeding Chard towards victory.

Harvey Dening’s masterful knock eventually ended for 72 from 99 with the job almost done, with a Pethy fielder commenting that Dening had “batted on a different pitch to the rest of us.”

Tom Shire then fell to a boundary catch but skipper Nathan Warren (4*) saw the job done alongside Danny Cleal, who ended unbetaten on 53 from 49 balls.

Chard’s five-wicket win gave them 19 points and they still sit second behind Minehead - Chard travel to Wembdon on Saturday.

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TON: North Perrott centurion George Retter. Pic: Adrian Hopper

West of England Premier League
Somerset Division
North Perrott 338-4 dec beat Staplegrove 100 by 238 runs

GEORGE Retter plundered 195 as North Perrott kept up with the WEPL Somerset Division frontrunners by easing past basement side Staplegrove on Saturday.

Hosts Perrott chose to bat first, with openers Gordon Whorlow and Retter putting on 177 for the first wicket.

Whorlow was trapped lbw by Ian Bishop (2-87 off 10 overs) for 48, but Retter and Eckland (26) were in no mood to slow down.

Retter racked up his 195 – his maiden century for Perrott – off just 135 balls, amassing 28 4s and four 6s, before finally falling to Ryan Cleverly (1-29 off seven) at 329-4.

With Jake Symes adding a quick 38no, Perrott declared on 338-4, with 44.5 overs played.

Come the reply, Stacy Hawes (5-45 off 10 overs) and Joshua Marshall-James (4-37 off 10) tore into the Grove batting order, reducing them to 0-1, 6-2 and 19-3 early on.

Only Henry Graydon (40) provided much resistance, as the visitors were all out for 100 in just 23.4 overs.

Perrott, just one point behind second-placed Chard, are away to winless Uphill Castle this Saturday (12.30pm).

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NORTH Perrott CC are also homing in on a Lord's final in the National Village Cup, after beating Roche Cricket Club from Cornwall.

Roche posted 158 all out, as Stacy Hawes took 3-21, and Perrott overhauled that total for the loss of five wickets, largely thanks to a dogged 66 not out from Nick Taylor.

Perrott have the advantage of another home draw on July 8, when they meet Marshfield CC from Gloucestershire in the next round.