CHEDDAR completed their league campaign with a thumping victory over Frome to round off an excellent season in Somerset's top division.

CHEDDAR completed their league campaign with a thumping victory over Frome to round off an excellent season in Somerset's top division.

This latest triumph made it a remarkable seven wins from the last eight fixtures and ensured runners-up position and the club's highest ever league finish in its history.

On winning the toss Cheddar opted to bat first and had reached 24 when overseas star Luke Hunter (12) was caught behind to give Frome their first success. Hunter returns to Australia next month having scored more than 450 league runs and Cheddar will be keen to welcome him back next year after such an impressive first season.

His regular opening partner Ollie Norris fell just two runs later for 12 when he was bowled by a shooter. Norris has also had a tremendous year with the bat (445 league runs) and finished his season with five half centuries.

At 26-2 Cheddar needed their middle order to fire and they certainly did not disappoint. Mike Sims (49) and Andy Veal (45) put together a superb partnership of 88 in rapid time and both deserved to go on to claim their fifties but just came up short as they unselfishly looked to up the tempo with some big shots.

Stevie Andrews (31) continued his fine form with the bat and with a late onslaught in the closing overs from Callow (14), Nichols (20 not out) and Loughlin (18 not out) Cheddar completed their 45 overs with 212 runs on the board.

After the interval, Cheddar's Stevie Andrews and John Tullett opened with the new ball, but neither were able to make the initial breakthrough and with Frome reaching 36 without loss, captain Terry Clark brought himself and Pip Nicholls on in an attempt to break the opening partnership.

This move brought immediate success as Nicholls (2-24) clean bowled Mark Dredge (29) with his third ball and then had Frome's other opener caught by Clark in just his second over. Clark (2-35) claimed two middle order wickets and Frome were quickly losing their way collapsing to 90-5.

The introduction of the slow left-arm of Che Moore and the spin of Ollie Norris (1-13) ensured that Frome's lower order were never able to regain momentum. Moore was the pick of the bowlers finishing with superb figures of 4-11 from nine overs and it was a fitting climax to the season that he should claim the final wicket with a stumping from Hunter. It was the keeper's 10th such dismissal of the season and it gave Cheddar the win by 78 runs as Frome fell well short with 138 all out.

Congratulations to all who represented Cheddar's senior side this season for an outstanding summer.