Opening bowler George Cox took 7-35 as Uphill Castle defeated Westlands by just 23 runs in a low-scoring encounter.

UPHILL Castle returned to winning ways when they defeated Westlands by 24 runs in a game dominated by the ball.

Electing to bat first, Uphill soon found themselves in trouble when Gareth Williams was caught with the score on 10. Andre Belcher and Krish Kumar took the score to 35 before a flurry of wickets saw Uphill reduced to 41-5.

Andy Llewellyn got stuck in and with support from Hayden Watts started to rebuild the innings. Watts went with the score on 68 soon followed by George Cox. Keiran Ward joined Llewellyn and put together an excellent partnership of 41 before Ward was adjudged lbw for a vital 20.

George Chapman and Gary Kennedy quickly went leaving Uphill on 125 all out and Llewellyn stranded on an undefeated 34.

The Uphill score was well below par for the day so something special was needed to get anything from the game. This was provided by Cox, backed up by some excellent fielding and a miserly spell from veteran Kennedy.

The Westland innings got off to a good start putting on 25 off eight overs before Cox struck in the ninth over. He had Hurlock smartly taken by Goegan behind the stumps, and followed this up by bowling Hallam first ball, then two balls later had Boucher caught behind.

Reeves dug in with Gundry and pushed the score up to 53 before Cox struck again in his eighth over, bowling both Reeves and Ford two balls later. The next over he continued the good work, bowling both McCabe and having Bond well caught at slip by Llewellyn.

Cox finished his allotted overs with the excellent figures of 10-4-35-7 and was well supported by Kennedy (10-4-24-0), with 13 runs coming from one over.

With Westlands reduced to 53-7 Gundry decided attack was the best option and went for his shots. Watts smartly ran out Murphy with a direct hit and then a smart piece of work from Goegan saw him stump Reeves, leaving Westlands tottering on 83-9.

Gundry went for some lusty blows before he went for one too many and was well caught on the boundary for 56 by Kumar off the bowling of Watts, who finished with 2-3 off 2.3 overs.

Specsavers man of the match was George Cox.

UPHILL CASTLE

G Williams c Gundry b Murphy 5

A Belcher b Murphy 16

K Kumar b Lock 5

R Tasker run out 5

A Llewellyn not out 34

J Goegan c Reeves b Lock 1

H Watts b Murphy 9

G Cox b Murphy 6

K Ward lbw Boucher 20

G Chapman b Boucher 5

G Kennedy b Boucher 0

Extras 19

Total 125

WESTLANDS

C Gundry c Kumar b Watts 56

B Hurlock c Goegan b Cox 13

N Hallam b Cox 0

H Boucher c Goegan b Cox 0

R Reeves b Cox 13

B Ford b Cox 4

D McCabe b Cox 0

N Bond c Llewellyn b Cox 0

A Murphy run out 6

J Reeves st Goegan b Watts 1

A Lock not out 0

Extras 9

Total 102

THE seconds lost at Wellington in a thrilling last-ball finish.

Wellington totalled 217-6, with opener Henwood hitting a century. Wickets were picked up by Andy Leech, Pete Jobling, Hallam Bickell and Dave Bickell.

In reply, Uphill ticked along nicely with veteran Steve Worrall (41) and young Tom Oultram (85) keeping the visitors in the hunt.

In the closing overs, veterans Bickell and Dibben gave good support to Oultram, but when he was run out off the penultimate ball, Nick Kuht and Hallam Bickell were unable to must the boundary needed.

Specsavers man of the match was Tom Oultram.

UPHILL Cavaliers got back to winning ways with a comfortable 77-run victory over Wembdon Academy and remain second in their division.

Asked to bat first, Uphill’s openers Rob Newman and Martin Palmer (34) enjoyed an opening stand of 47. Sam Frost joined Ben Castle and between them took the score to 169 before Castle was out for 33. Frost was dismissed shortly for 47.

Uphill’s youth contingent continued to take the game to Wembdon, with useful knocks from Ewen Kennedy (15), Mike Doe (25) and with 26 not out from Kieran Chapman, Uphill posted a commanding 277 from their 45 overs.

Wembdon started soundly enough, but due to some tidy bowling from Mark Patch and Mike Doe, they were always behind the rate.

The deadlock was finally broken when Kennedy bowled Futcher for 34 and shortly afterwards, bowled his partner Prior for 42. With the introduction the other end of Jake Llewellyn, wickets fell at regular intervals, with Kennedy finishing with 4-40 from his 12 overs and Llewellyn with 4-39 from his six.

Chapman ended an excellent spell by bowling Paull for 45 with three balls to spare.

Specsavers man of the match was shared by Kieran Chapman and Ewen Kennedy.

A WEAKENED 4th XI travelled to play Bridgwater Sports, who batted first and scored 284-7.

For Uphill, Sam Matthews (4-45) and debutant Tom Miller (2-55) were the pick of the bowlers.

In reply, Uphill lost a couple of early wickets. Only Rich Fletcher with 19 and Matthews, who top scored with 26 showed any resistance as Uphill were bowled out for 92.

Specsavers man of the match was Sam Matthews.