WESTON Ladies played their first match for four weeks due to wet weather and opposition sides not being able to raise a team.

WESTON Ladies played their first match for four weeks due to wet weather and opposition sides not being able to raise a team.

Although Weston fielded a side of 10 players on a hot sunny day, they managed a good win in their friendly against Bristol Phoenix 2nd XI.

Weston won the toss and put the opposition in to bat. Weston had to use seven bowlers in order to bowl the opposition out in the 32nd over of this 35-overs per innings match.

Lisa Quick was the first to take a wicket in the third over and was followed quickly by Roxy Newman who took wickets in the fourth and eighth overs. Wickets then fell in the 11th and 12th overs to Donna Chadwick and Stacey Caple.

However due to the heat, wind and the number of extras being conceded, a bowling change was required bringing Nicky Cannon and Emma Whitehead to the crease but although Cannon took a wicket in the 17th and Whitehead tempted the batters, further changes were needed though as J Bernelot-Moens was looking set to hit a high score. Enter Sophie Luff who bowled her, quickly followed by Bristol's number 9 and 10 to finish with figures of 3.5-1-3-3.

Weston set about their batting knowing that with a run rate of less than 3.5 an over they had plenty of time to build partnerships throughout the batting order and to just punish the bad ball.

The opening partnership was broken in the fifth over when Nicky Cannon (5) was caught by the keeper. Next in was Stacey Caple, who having recently found some batting confidence, set off in determined mood only to be bowled by the Bristol captain for just one run.

Weston did not panic, though, and the biggest partnership of the match of 34 runs followed when Sarah Tedder was joined at the crease by Sophie Luff. The partnership ended in the 12th over when Sarah was eventually caught for 31 much to the delight of Bristol as they had dropped her first ball of the match and were punished as a result.

The Under-13s Somerset captain Roxy Newman joined the Under-15s Somerset captain at the crease hoping to show how much her batting has improved over the winter. Roxy looked in good touch hitting a long boundary until she was caught for nine.

Next in was captain Emma Whitehead looking to finish the match with her vice -captain. After building what looked like the last required partnership she was bowled by the Bristol captain in her second spell with Weston just 11 runs short of the required total.

With seven overs remaining, Helen Clough joined Luff determined to be the last in to bat, but on this occasion it was not to be when given out leg before. Lisa Quick was not planning on running the five runs required and got her wish when on the third ball she faced hit a boundary. It was fitting though that Luff (36*) hit the winning runs having batted patiently for Weston to finish 118 for 6 in the 31st over.

Player of the match for Weston Sophie Luff for her all-round performance.

The ladies travel to Plympton on Sunday in their South West Championship match. The Ladies welcome new players at any time, contact captain Emma Whitehead on 07719 105141 for further details.