Uphill Castle fell short in their run chase at Bishops Lydeard.

UPHILL Castle lost to Bishops Lydeard by 12 runs in a match they really should have won.

Winning the toss Lydeard elected to bat and with George Cox struggling to find his line, got off to a positive start, racing to 55 off the first 10 overs.

The introduction of Luke Bliss and Marcus Bail put a brake on proceedings with the next eight overs only yielding 13 runs. With pressure building, Bail yorked Sapey with an excellent delivery. Two more wickets fell to Bail in succession, backed up by excellent fielding, as Lydeard found runs hard to come by.

Bail’s spell resulted in the fine figures of 3-20, Watts ably assisted at the other to claim 3-22 as runs dried up. Cox returned for his second spell and finding his rhythm only conceded eight runs from five overs.

Simon Webster had Parker caught and bowled and Bliss returned for his final three overs and mopped up the tail finishing with the figures of 3-38, including a fantastic catch on the boundary.

Watts took a fine catch just inside the rope and as he was losing his balance, he had the presence of mind to lob the ball to Bail to complete the catch as Uphill bowled out Lydeard for a well under par 166

Uphill expected to get the runs on a decent wicket with a fast outfield, but got off to a poor start when Bliss fell to an excellent delivery and Belcher was run out by a direct hit, leaving them on 5-2.

Seb Winn and Justin Goegan took control and moved the score to 66 in the 11th over before Winn slapped a long hop to mid-off. Watts fell almost immediately to a loose shot leaving Uphill four down.

Williams and Goegan put together a partnership of 26 before both were adjudged lbw. Andy Llewellyn, Dave Bickell and Webster fell in quick succession leaving Uphill on 128-9.

A last wicket partnership from Cox and Bail gave Uphill some hope, as they put together a stand of 26 before Cox was caught behind with 12 still required.

Specsavers man of the match was Marcus Bail.

BISHOPS LYDEARD

G Bellamy c Watts b Bail 35

A Sapey b Bail 22

A Clark c Goegan b Bail 8

N Taylor c & b Watts 3

B Stone c Bliss b Watts 20

T Stone c Goegan b Watts 12

J Parker c & b Webster 15

J Escot b Bliss 9

J Hayward c Bail b Bliss 13

J Breakwell c Williams b Bliss 1

M Thomas not out 0

Extras 28

Total 166

Bowling: S Webster 10-0-31-1; G Cox 10-2-48-0; L Bliss 10-2-38-3; M Bail 10-3-20-3; H Watts 10-1-22-3.

UPHILL CASTLE

A Belcher run out 0

L Bliss b Hayward 4

S Winn c Sapey b Taylor 43

J Goegan lbw Breakwell 34

H Watts c Breakwell b Bellamy 0

G Williams lbw Hayward 15

A Llwellyn b Bellamy 0

D Bickell c & b Stone 6

G Cox c Clark b Escot 28

S Webster b Hayward 4

M Bail not out 6

Extras 14

Total 154