Uphill Castle end up on the wrong side of a near 600-run game at Chard.

UPHILL Castle made the long trip to Chard and were on the wrong end of near 600-run game.

Chard got off to a flying start with 94 runs being made before Markus Bail took the first wicket. With two more quick wickets falling to Matt Kearsey, Uphill dragged themselves back into the game.

At the halfway point, Chard began attacking, Todd in particular looking to hit anything pitched up. Bail came back to remove him stumped for 45. However, Dalwood (76) and Tratt (38 not out) pushed Chard past the 200 mark.

Chris Slocombe was the only bowler able to contain the batsmen, and he deservedly picked up two wickets, including that of Dalwood. Chard managed to pass 300 thanks to Kuhn (37), including 30 runs from Kearsey’s last over. John Davidson picked up three fine stumpings.

Despite losing Gareth Williams early, Uphill got their innings off to an excellent start with Davidson and Andre Belcher putting on 90 for the second wicket. Davidson got a leading edge to fall for 39. Belcher reached his 50 before being caught at the wicket.

Captain Jon Lambert joined Rob Tasker and the pair put on 120 for the next wicket to push Uphill to 248. Lambert was in inspired form, smashing 84 from just 49 balls.

His innings included seven sixes and Tasker also reached his half century before being bowled by Dalwood.

With 60 needed from seven overs, Uphill were still in the game, but when Lambert was caught, the new batsman struggled to get going and they fell 30 runs short.

This was Uphill’s best batting performance of the season and should be a confidence booster going into the crucial four week period where Castle play the teams around them at the bottom. Man of the match was Jon Lambert.

? The Seconds won the toss and inserted visitors Chard and good opening spells by Tony Moore (0-33) and Luke Bliss (3-28) put Uphill in a strong position.

Chard got back into the game, but skipper Andy Llewellyn quickly took 5-13, backed up by Mark Patch (1-63) and Matt Loud (1-0), Chard were dismissed for 144.

The Uphill innings got off to a slow start, with Mark Hodder, Seb Winn and Adrian Gardner going cheaply. Llewellyn (37) joined Bliss (51) to get the hosts back into the game, but when Llewellyn was dismissed, the last six batsmen only made two between them, leaving Bliss stranded as Uphill finished 17 runs short.

? Uphill Cavaliers lost at home by 73 runs to Huish and Langport.

The visitors chose to bat and despite an early wicket when George Chapman took a neat catch at cover off James Holt.

They rattled along to 117-1 in the 21st over, when Bob Hurford breached Smith’s defences, and then took the next wicket with a caught and bowled. Dave Bickell then pulled off a fine run out, throwing down the stumps from mid on, off his son Hallam’s bowling.

Hallam then went on to bowl two new batsmen in the same over and all of a sudden it was 124-6, with Huish teetering. However, Hallam Bickell had to be rested after six overs (2-5), and when Bob Hurford completed his spell of 3-44 off 12 overs, it was 139-7 after 29 overs.

Despite Kieran Ward taking a wicket, two or three missed chances allowed Vigar and Cox to unleash some lusty blows, blasting 73 the closing nine overs to post a total of 237-9. Keeper Rob Latham pulled off a cool run out off the last ball of the innings.

Castle needed a solid start, but did not achieve it, sliding to 6-4. A vintage stand of 113 was then posted by veterans Martin Palmer (56) and Dave Bickell (55), who laid a solid platform.

With 120 required from 13 overs, Bickell was unlucky to fall to an excellent catch on the boundary and with Palmer falling shortly after, Castle had to be content with gleaning an extra batting point, which was achieved thanks to a brisk cameo 16 not out by Nick Kuht, as they closed on 164-9.

Specsavers man of the match was Dave Bickell.