TOP of the table Kilve II visited Taunton St Andrew's A last Saturday and in an exciting and keenly contested match, they lost by 10 runs and also their top spot.

Stand in skipper Nick Hancock won the toss and asked St Andrew's to bat first.

Mark Bushen and Rob Feetenby started well and reached 50 in the 14th over, at which point Martin Reading had Bushen lbw for 28.

Hancock came on at the other end and he soon picked up the other opener in the same manner.

C Jennings and Jimmy Denslow came together and played solidly although the run rate dropped slightly they took the score to 96-2 when Jennings was caught in the slips for 32 off the leg spin of Graham Tabrett.

This proved to be encouragement for the Kilve bowlers and Hancock promptly ripped the middle order apart, one dismissal being a superb caught and bowled.

John Hawkins joined his skipper Denslow with the score on 116-7 but 15 runs later the Kilve skipper accounted for his opposite number for 19.

Hawkins took the attack to the bowlers and his 26 helped lift his side's final total to 162-9.

Hancock was the pick of the bowlers with 6-50 from his 15 overs, being well supported by Tabrett (2-38).

Kilve made a disastrous reply to the St Andrew's pacey attack when Rod Richards, Tim Nash and the in form Hancock were back in the pavilion with only 15 on the board.

This brought together Jeff Thorne and Paul Cuff, and they took the attack to Hawkins and Foxwell. Cuff in particular was punishing as they maintained a very healthy four an over run rate and with the score on 76 Kilve were back in the match.

Cuff then top edged a delivery from the young leg spinner Hickman for an aggressive 41 (six 4s) but Reading then came in and maintained the momentum to take Kilve over the 100 mark and bring the game back into their favour, whereupon he played one expansive drive too many and was bowled for 14.

Thorne then dominated the rest of the innings, but none of the Kilve youngsters could stay with him as wickets fell at regular intervals at the other end.

He had taken the team to 146-8, with nine overs still remaining, when he was bowled by a yorker from the pacey Hawkins for an excellent 49 (seven 4s).

Hawkins then followed this up in his next over with the final dismissal to leave Kilve 10 short on 152 all out and finish with 5-47, to end an exciting game of cricket.

Taunton St Andrew's: 162-9 (C Jennings 32, M Bushen 28, J Hawkins 26, N Hancock 6-50, G Tabrett 2-38).

Kilve II: 152 (J Thorne 49, P Cuff 41, J Hawkins 5-47, Foxwell 2-61).