MINEHEAD 2nd XI went down to a two-wicket defeat away to fellow strugglers Taunton Deane 3rd XI in Division Three of the Somerset Cricket League.

Minehead’s openers Brandon Rawle (33) and Jonah Hopkins (53) put on 53 in quick time before Rawle was caught by Man of the Match Max Smyth-Lees off the bowling of Finley Robins.

Minehead lost two cheap wickets before Hopkins was joined by wicket-keeper and skipper Greg Howard (18) and the pair added 66 useful runs.

Rob Spiers scored 22 in 20 balls as Minehead tried to boost their score, eventually being bowled out for 191 in 33.3 overs. Cole Norman was the Deane’s’ most successful bowler with 4-40 while Smyth-Lees and Matthew Hughes both picked up two wickets.

Smyth-Lees steered the Deane to only their second win of the summer with a knock of 61, sharing in a fourth-wicket stand of 61 with Norman (23) after the home side had lost three wickets for 60. Harry Pursey took 2-25 and Nick Wilson 2-15.

It was Minehead’s sixth loss of the season and they find themselves bottom of the table, one point behind the Deane.

The leaders of the division are North Curry who have a one-point lead over second-placed Shaftsbury Road.

Curry gained their seventh success in nine matches when they beat Bishops Hull at home by two wickets. The Taunton side scored 196 all out in 39.3 overs and Curry knocked off the runs with Rory Collett scoring 43 and Carl Gazzard 41. Earlier Edward Smith had scored 48 for Bishops Hull before being run out.

Shaftsbury Road raced to a five-wicket home success against Frome 2nd XI, reaching a target of 178 to win in less than 20 overs. Seb Williams was their star batter with 53 scored in only 29 balls.