MINEHEAD bounced back to winning form in the Premier Division of the Somerset Cricket League with a six-wicket home win over Taunton St Andrews 2nds in sweltering heat.

Batting first, Saints’ veteran openers Kevin Parsons and Martin Jenkins used all of their experience to negotiate the away-swing of Harry Tudball, and in-swing of the returning Darren Sherring.

Although Minehead did not find an early breakthrough the run-rate was well under control as their openers bowled tight lines, with Ellis & Braden Taylor following up with miserly spells of their own.

The breakthrough was eventually made in the 18th over as Jenkins was clean bowled by Taylor with the score on 76 – before striking again just before the drinks break as Andrew Stevens took a sharp catch to see off Parsons, with the score on 90.

Dan Bowditch replaced the fatigued Ellis Taylor after drinks, and struck immediately when his spinning delivery forced Woolcott to chip one back to him, to see St. Andrews slip to 101-3.

The quick wickets had brought Jordan Clapp & Henry Mason-Walshaw to the crease, who soon showed how good the batting conditions were. The pair took the score past 200, where suddenly a score up around 280-300 was looking on the cards.

However young Harry Swann broke the partnership with the score on 203 as Mason-Walshaw holed out to Buchanan at deep square-leg for a hard hit 62 from only 47 balls. Conor Paterson was introduced from the other end, and his game-changing spell saw 3 quick wickets fall.

He first forced an error from the dangerous Clapp (72), as Ellis Taylor held on to a sharp reaction catch, before McKenna picked out Buchanan at long-off, and finally removing Rhys Hockey as Bowditch took a fine running catch to see Paterson finishing with impressive figures of 3-30. The innings was capped off with the fired-up Swann sending Galhenage’s stumps cartwheeling, as St. Andrews were restricted to 258-8..

Buchanan & Andrew Stevens opened for Minehead and quickly made use of the favourable batting conditions by adding 56, before a mix-up led to Stevens (14) being run out for 14.

Buchanan was joined by the promoted Chris James, but soon joined Stevens in the pavilion as he was caught at short-third man for 45.

At 67-2 and just under 200 runs required, Minehead needed a partnership, and got exactly that as James began to find his flow, with Dan Bowditch joining him, the pair taking the score above 100. It had reached 124 when Bowditch was out for a well-made 34 from 39 balls.

Despite losing his partner, James continued to attack as he found another regular ally in Braden Taylor and he brought up a fine half-century. With 7 an over needed for the final 15 overs, James made light work of the required rate by striking a boundary nearly every over to take the Minehead score above 200.

Taylor was eventually bowled for 18 as he and James added 98 crucial runs for the fourth wicket.

James wasted no time in finishing off the job as he launched his 6th maximum on his way to an unforgettable century in front of a large crowd, his second for Minehead 1st XI. New batter Ellis Taylor smashed his first two balls for four, before going on to finish 18* and James 108* as Minehead completed yet another fantastic run chase.