Castle’s 2nd XI, Cavaliers and Crusaders lose out

UPHILL Castle 2nd XI entertained Stapleton in a bottom-of-the-table clash and ended up losing by four wickets.

Castle won the toss and elected to bat, getting off to a confident start with Mark Hodder (32) and Gareth Williams (27) putting on 49 for the first wicket. Then contributions from Luke Bliss (28), Andy Llewellyn (29) and Ian Tasker (40), who was run out in the last over, got the score to 200-7, gaining Uphill maximum batting points.

Stapleton got off to a similar start before Mark Patch (3-31) got the breakthrough, supported by Andy Llewellyn (1-53). Luke Bliss, Mark Hodder and Ray Dibben also chipped in with some good catches.

With 28 runs needed off the last three overs the game was well balanced but Stapleton reached the target for the loss of six wickets.

Uphill’s man of the match was Ian Tasker.

* UPHILL Cavaliers suffered from another batting failure and lost to Purnells 2nds by four wickets.

A cataclysmic collapse to 39-7 threatened an embarrassingly early finish, but another heroic innings by Matt Loud at least added some respectability into the proceedings and, but for running out of partners with 10 overs left, he could have pulled off the near-impossible.

Loud struck a series of powerful shots in his 73 not out from only 50 deliveries. He struck two trademark straight sixes and no fewer than 11 fours, many of which raced along the floor to the cover boundary. He was assisted by old hand Bob Hurford, who made 23 in a stand of 72, and steered Uphill to 157 before the last wicket fell.

Andy Leech and James Holt bowled tidily and were unlucky not to make the breakthrough as a couple of chances went down, with Bob Hurford also suffering from spillages, as the visitors proceeded to 86-0 off 22 overs.

Castle’s ground fielding was keen and, after drinks, Andy Leech immediately hung on to a catch at extra cover off Matt Loud.

Purnells rode their luck and were only 32 short when the second wicket fell with Loud bowling the other opener, Lock, for 55. Suddenly it was Purnells’ turn to suffer a collapse as a further four wickets fell in as many overs. However, Bob Hurford (2-59) and Matt Loud (4-45) ran out of overs, and the visitors got over the line.

Some credit should go to Castle for sticking to their task, but it was only the admirable all round performance of man of the match Matt Loud which made the game any contest at all. The Cavaliers entertain top-of-the-table Bishops Lydeard on Saturday and will need to put together a better batting performance to stand a chance.

* UPHILL Crusaders fielded a much changed team against league leaders Wedmore.

Skipper Holt won the toss, believing the only way Crusaders were likely to pull off any kind of result was to bowl out the opposition.

However, despite Holt himself bowling 11 overs for only 19 runs, all of the other bowlers were dealt with harshly by the Wedmore opening batsman Drew, who scored 179 not out in a total of 291-4.

There were bright spots for Crusaders, the outstanding display of wicketkeeping by 13-year-old Jack Biggs in his first senior game, letting through just a solitary bye, the athletic fielding of newcomer Dave Statham and the bowling of Richard Goff and Gary Cross. Neither had played cricket for many years, but both picked up wickets.

Crusaders never really got going against some tight bowling and were eventually all out for 107. Adam Nash top scored with 22. Crusaders took only nine points from the game and are in real danger of relegation.

The man of the match award went to Dave Statham for his great fielding display.