MINEHEAD played at home to Bridgwater 3rd XI in the Premier Division of the Somerset Cricket League on Saturday looking for their second win of the season - but, unfortunately, the Seasiders slumped to a four-wicket defeat.

Bridgwater won the toss and decided to bowl first in overcast conditions, and soon reduced the Pirates to 29-2 when Ian Buchanan (4) and Josh Hurley (1) were sent on their way in the opening 10 overs.

Jonah Hopkins and Dan Bowditch began to rebuild, before Hopkins was unlucky caught in the gully after a ball seemed to ‘stick in the pitch’ for a good looking 29. Bowditch was joined by the in-form Ellis Taylor, fresh from a sensational hundred the previous week for the 2nd XI, and he looked just as fluent this week as he cleared the ropes early in his innings.

Like Hopkins though, he could only reach 29 when he was caught in the deep when looking set for a big score. Bowditch marched on, bringing up a solid half-century at a run-a-ball, as the score reached 135-4.

Sadly though, this is where things went wrong for Minehead as the next six wickets fell for just 29 runs, as Bowditch was bowled for 61, and no other batter made double figures as The Pirates were bundled out for 163.

The first innings made it clear that this was an indifferent Minehead pitch, and that batting would not be straightforward as the game progressed deeper.

Alfie Ruckledge and Harry Tudball opened up for The Pirates and both looked dangerous early on. Ruckledge struck first when he forced Bridgwater’s captain to edge behind to Hopkins, before Tudball struck in the next over when Hill chipped a catch to Darren Sherring which he gratefully pouched on the second attempt.

A score of 29-2 became 50-3 when Tudball found the edge of the experienced Stuart Butt and at this point the game was wide open. Vickery and Devitt steadied things for Bridgy, taking the score to 109 before Devitt played one shot too many and found the safe hands from Sherring off the bowling of Bowditch for 21.

Bowditch picked up another wicket when the sprawling Jonah Hopkins came from behind the stumps to take a catch halfway down the wicket, and Minehead’s hopes were increased when the fired up Ruckledge returned to remove Vickery for 44 - as Bridgy required 33 with 4 wickets in hand.

However, this was as good as it got for Minehead as Pope and Clapp ensured there would be no upset though, as they both looked comfortable enough for finish 14* and 20* respectively, as the visitors passed the Minehead total with no further loss.

Victory enabled Bridgwater to move up to third in the table and to maintain their 100 per cent start to the season while the leaders of the division are Taunton Deane 2nd XI who gained an impressive 226-run victory over Wedmore.

The Deane piled up 326-4 in 45 overs with Bhuvanesh Juyaraman scoring 122 off 99 balls with 18 fours and a six, and Joshua Cobb 105 not out in 69 balls with 19 boundaries.

In reply Wedmore were bowled out for exactly 100 in 26.2 overs with Jack Blackwell taking 4-8 in six overs, Max Smyth-Lees 2-33 and Max Johnson 2-21.