Lympsham & Belvedere retained their place in the Somerset Premier after a 103-run win at Shapwick & Polden Seconds last Saturday.

The hosts won the toss, asking L & B to bat first, and they got off to the better start as Tom Gooding was removed for five. Jack Luff joined George Nuttycombe and the pair built a solid partnership before Luff was caught off Sam Patey’s bowling for 17.

Nuttycombe was joined by Jamie Howson and the pair scored the highest partnership of the day. Nuttycombe was eventually caught off the bowling of Ben Trotman for 67 off 90 balls, including nine fours. Dan Reason was next, caught by Antony Veevers off of Trotman for 15 to leave Lympsham & Belvedere on 159-4.

Dave Luff joined Howson and Howson upped the score from 159 to 228 before being caught by Sam Dukes off Veevers for 81 from 77 balls, including eight fours and two sixes. Hancock was next to fall as he fell for one.

Lympsham & Belvedere continued to score with plenty of running between the wickets and on the penultimate ball of the innings Dave Luff was run out by Trotman for 31.

McCrea shaped up to face the final ball, he was then run out for 10 by Edmunds as he too turned back for a second run but was short of the crease leaving the visitors finishing their innings on 250-8.

In reply Lympsham and Belvedere got off to a great start as Hosey had Dan Rudge adjudged LBW for seven in the fourth over. Callum Neate (1-9) had Jarrad Cave caught behind by Nuttycombe for 0 in the next over. Hosey then bowled Stephen Tinnion for 0 to leave the hosts on 11-3. An incredible piece of fielding from Reason saw Patey run out with a direct hit from backward point.

Lee Edmunds and Paul Lang set about rebuilding the innings for Shapwick & Polden and Gooding struck straight away as he removed Edmunds LBW for 37 and Reason (1-21) bowled Lang’s middle stump for 15.

Gooding struck again as Trotman cut to Neate at point for 24.

Mike Hosey bowled well to finish with figures of 9-1-31-2. Gooding took two further wickets as he had Veevers caught behind by Nuttycombe for five and then bowled Dukes for 0 as he ended with fantastic figures of 9-3-18-4.

Chadwick delivered the final blow as he had Kevin Skinner caught and bowled for four as he finished on 1-26, leaving Shapwick all out for 147.

Lympsham & Belvedere ended up finishing sixth in the table.