MINEHEAD lst XI hosted Wembdon 2nd XI in a must-win game in the Premier Division of the Somerset Cricket League - and gained a thrilling last-ball victory.

After choosing to field first, Minehead captain Dan Bowditch opened the bowling with Gary Bennett who claimed two early wickets.

Bowditch conceded only 15 runs from his nine-over spell, as Wembdon struggled to 25-2. Visiting skipper Dan Bingham and Dave Worthington set about the rebuild, and saw up the 100 .

Both batters reached 50 before Ellis Taylor broke the partnership with his first ball, Worthington out for 51. Taylor picked up another scalp and with the other bowlers all keeping it tight Wembdon worked hard for their runs.

Harry Tudball took two late wickets but Bingham stood firm at the other end finishing 124 not out, as Wembdon closed on 245-7.

Minehead’s innings got off to the worst possible start as Ian Buchanan was caught behind off the first ball. Andrew Stevens and Chris James steadied the ship before Stevens was out for 17 with the score on 47.

James was joined by his captain who took the score to 79 before being caught from a top edge. Braden Taylor joined James, who brought up his second half century of the season before being dismissed soon after for 54

With 137 runs required from 18 overs, and seven wickets in hand Minehead needed a partnership which Braden and Ellis Taylor provided,

Braden scored heavily through the leg side, while Ellis played some hard hit shots down the ground. Braden reached 51 from 62 balls before he was caught with the score on 179.

Things began to get tense when Ellis Taylor departed for a brilliant 41, leaving 45 needed from 30 balls.

Gary Bennett was joined by Tudball, who wasted no time in dispatching a towering six over the leg side.

Just 20 runs from victory Tudball played one shot too many and was caught for 11 from five balls. Bennet struck two boundaries in the next over to leave Minehead needing eight runs from the final over, with new man Oliver Groves on strike.

The first delivery was a dot ball but the second he hammered straight back at the bowler, with the ball deflecting from his boot onto the stumps, leaving Bennett hopelessly short of his ground, run out for a vital 28.

Now it was over to Groves to score eight runs the remaining four balls. He nudged the next ball and scampered 2 runs, and repeated this fourth ball- four runs needed from two balls. The next ball Groves hammered just wide of long-on, as he and non-striker Paterson once again completed a second run, leaving two runs for victory from the final delivery.

Groves kept his nerve, hammered the ball down the ground to long-on, who returned a dangerous throw to the non-striker’s end as the Minehead batters turned for the second run, where the unlikely hero in non-striking batter Connor Paterson produced a full length dive to make his ground by a matter of inches, sparking celebrations from a big crowd at Minehead for an incredible hard fought win, off the very last ball of the match.

A brilliant team win with lots of players contributing, lifts Minehead to sixth place in the division ahead of a trip to Bridgwater this weekend.