AFTER two consecutive defeats, Kilve gave a slightly improved performance to cling on for a draw against their visitors Evercreech on Saturday.

Batting first, Evercreech made a solid start with openers Wood and Bontoft reaching 41 after 14 overs.

An inspired bowling change then gave Kilve a breakthrough as Neil Cobb bowled Bontoft with this first ball and he then went on to bowl Evercreech's No 3 to leave them on 74-2 after 26 overs.

Wood continued to make steady progress but Kilve made inroads again when Dave Cobb bowled Chris Ough who had made a rapid 18. Dave also claimed the wicket of Harding to leave Evercreech with a modest 107-4 after 33 overs.

Ingram joined Wood, who had just passed his half century and in the final 12 overs they hit 78 runs. Ingram finished on 30 no and Wood 91 no as the innings closed on 185-5.

Neil Cobb finished with 3-60 and Dave Cobb 2-33.

Kilve made a reasonable reply but wickets were lost at crucial stages.

Opener Shaun Mitchell went lbw for 14 with the score on 22 and fellow opener Stuart Lloyd made 15 before he edged to the keeper to leave Kilve on 38-2 after nine overs.

Neil and Dave Cobb started rebuilding the innings but then Neil was dismissed for 28 and Dave shortly after for 13 to leave Kilve on 79-4 after 20 overs.

Dinger Larcombe made a useful 36 but other Kilve wickets fell at regular interval to prevent any serious challenge to the Evercreech total and it was left to Phil Sylvester and Paul Cuff to provide some good tailend resistance before the innings closed on 138-9.

Evercreech: 185-6 (M Wood 91no, N Ingram 30, C Bontoft 18, C Ouch 18, N Cobb 3-60, D Cobb 2-33).

Kilve: 138-9 (S Larcombe 36, N Cobb 28, S Lloyd 15, M Southgate 3-38, P Harding 2-11, S Poone 2-33).