CRICKET: Ilminster win at Keynsham in West of England Premier League

ILMINSTER continued their fine form with another win on Saturday, seeing off Keynsham by 32 runs to jump up to second place in the Premier 2 standings.

The visitors won an important toss and elected to bat, Louis Kraucamp blasting seven 4s and three 6s in his 41-ball 57.

That set his side up nicely, though both Kraucamp and Jonny Warry (11) had fallen to Reg Keates (3-29 off 10 overs) with 82 runs on the board for Ilminster.

Sam Spurway (14) was bowled by Keates with the score on 100, but Charlie Vickery (59) and George Hayward (24) combined to pass the 150-run mark.

Keynsham bowlers Richard Pannell (4-35 off nine) and Mark Cole (2-32 off 10) were starting to put the squeeze on the away side’s middle and lower order, with only Craig Rice (10) and Josh Lee (11no) able to make it into double figures.

Vickery eventually fell to Pannell at 203-9, but Lee and Sam Grinter (11no) provided important late runs to reach 218-9 from their 50 overs.

Sam Grinter (1-28 off six) and Harry Montacute (1-27 off six) made early inroads into the Keynsham reply, removing Lewis Townsend (7) and Callum Westbrook (9).

But Daniel Jarman (20) and Alex Taylor (39) dug in, and it took the spin of Vickery (2-22 off 10) to dislodge them.

James Thompson (1-38 off 10) and Matt Davis (2-37 off eight) also chipped in, though Chris Gwyther (40) resisted.

It was Hayward (3-32 off 8.2) who swept up Gwyther and the tail, to dismiss the hosts for 186 in 49.2 overs.

Craig Rice said: “Winning the toss was very important, as it was a used and very dry wicket which would only get harder to bat on.

“Louis Kraucamp set us up by smashing 50 to take some pressure off, while Charlie Vickery held the innings together.

“[Keynsham] started OK, but then eight wickets fell to spin; it was a good all-round performance from us.”

Second-placed Ilminster host Shapwick & Polden, who are fifth, on Saturday (12.30pm start).

Rice added: “It’s a tight league, and at the moment we’re on a nice little run – so hopefully we can continue that, with a couple of home games coming up.”

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WEPL Somerset Division
Chard 116-5 beat Uphill Castle 113 by 5 wkts

THE Chard bowling attack once again proved too hot to handle at Uphill Castle on Saturday, the visitors keeping the pace at the top of the WEPL Somerset table.

On a very dry pitch, the home side were soon in trouble, as four wickets fell with the score on 29.

Scott Wells-Burr (2-27 off 10 overs) made the breakthough, having Andre Belcher (11) caught by Pete Moxom, and the dangerous Dayne Siede (16) then fell to Akhona Mbanga (4-39 off 10).

With both Chard bowlers claiming another wicket, Kieron Chapman and George Chapman both out for ducks, Uphill were well and truly staring down the barrel.

Several players made starts – Jermain Jones (34) and George Cox (18) the best of them – but on a now dusting pitch Chris Scott (4-29 off 9.4) ensured that a big total was never going to be a possibility.

Scott and the returning Mbanga cleared out the tail, to have the hosts all out for 113 in 34.1 overs.

Chard’s reply got off to an uncertain start on the increasingly friable surface, and they lost Harvey Dening (adjudged lbw when on four) to stumble at 15-1.

The classy Paul Rideout (43) took his side up past 70, but then three wickets were lost for just five runs, as Uphill spinner Kieran Ward (3-27 off nine) exploited the surface to leave the visitors on 77-5.

That was as good as it got for the hosts, though, as the dogged pairing of Danny Cleal (21no) and Jon Scott (7no) saw Chard reach the required total in the 35th over.

North Perrott’s superb win over Frome (see page 47) saw Chard bumped down to second place, but there’s just two points in it – with third-placed Minehead six points off Chard.

This coming Saturday (12.30pm start) sees Chard at home to Yeovil, who are third from bottom in the table but have picked up some improved results of late.

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WEPL Somerset Division
North Perrott 297-6 beat Frome 293-9 by 6 wkts

NORTH Perrott leapfrogged Chard at the top of the WEPL Somerset standings after collecting 21 points from a four-wicket win at fellow title hopefuls Frome on Saturday.

Frome elected to bat first and whizzed their way to 109, at which point Alex Eckland (2-43 off eight overs) had Paul Sanger (52) caught behind.

Robin Lett (73) and Reece Croker (107) kept the runs coming, but Frome fell from 172-1 to 214-5 as Eckland, Jack Henderson (1-57 off eight) and Lorraine Szczepanski (2-43 off nine) made key breakthroughs.

Croker continued to make hay, though, and it took Gordon Whorlow (3-32 off seven) to dismiss him, after which Frome could only add another 11 runs as three more wickets fell.

George Retter (2) went early on in the reply, but the rest of Perrott’s top order made solid contributions – Whorlow scoring 74, Eckland 63 and Henderson 58.

They took their side to 277-5, despite the efforts of Croker (4-42 off 10), leaving Jamie Baird (37no) and John Ireland (15no) to reach the finish line with two balls to spare.

It’s another big match for Perrott this coming Saturday, as they host third-placed Minehead (12.30pm start).