MINEHEAD’s first team entertained Lympsham & Belvedere in their opening home game of the season in the Premier Division of the Somerset League - and enjoyed a convincing nine-wicket success.

Under sunny skies Dan Bowditch won the toss and decided to bowl first after a strong showing by his bowlers in the rain-affected game against North Petherton the previous weekend.

Bowditch himself took the new ball and was unlucky not to strike in his first over as two tough chances went down. In the sixth over, however, he finally had Neil Chadwick well caught by Harry Swann at cover for 26. Harry Tudball quickly joined Bowditch in the wickets column, as he first had Mike Hosey safely held at mid-off by Anan Rajan, before the diving Chris James took a superb two-handed effort at close cover to see off Jamie Howson for 4. The scorecard read 40-3, which soon collapsed to 66-6 as Rajan replaced Bowditch to take a three wicket burst with his in-swinging medium pace. Tudball finished his allotted overs with impressive figures of 2-29 from 9 overs, but Lympsham recovered through Dan Reason, whose entertaining innings contained back to back towering sixes over the leg-side to see Lympsham go in at drinks on 111-6. Rajan was on the money once again though, finding the outside edge of Dan Reason with just the second ball after drinks to take his fourth wicket of the day. The left handed Marcus Bail had stood strong at the other end for the away side to deny Rajan a deserved 5 wicket haul, but a fine second diving catch in the innings by Chris James put an end to his innings for 32 from the ever reliable bowling of Darren Sherring - who duly wrapped up the innings in style by clean bowling Matt Davis for 19 - before pinning Sam Jennings LBW without scoring, to see the away side 151 all out. Rajan ended with 4-46, Sherring 3-42 and Tudball 2-26

With the Lympsham innings lasting just 30 overs, Minehead were left with a tricky 10 over period to bat before tea. But the experienced pair of Andrew Stevens and Ian Buchanan played sensibly early on to ensure The Pirates went into tea with no alarms, knocking 56 runs off the required total in the process thanks to some wayward opening bowling from the visitors.

After tea, the pair had moved the score onto 62 before Stevens was unluckily bowled by Hosey from an inside edge onto his stumps while attempting his trademark pull shot. This brought Josh Hurley to the crease, looking to follow on his strong form from last season.

A fiery spell from Hosey made things difficult for The Pirates, but Hurley and Buchanan took the score past 100 with sensible stroke play, safe in the knowledge that under three runs per over were required to seal victory. Buchanan reached 50, and soon after Hurley had raced to 41* with the winning runs as Minehead knocked off the required target for the loss of only one wicket. Buchanan remained unbeaten on 64 which came off 71 balls with 10 fours, while Hurley ended 41 not out. This was a fine win for Minehead, fifth in the table after a maximum 35 points win, ahead of a trip to Wembdon 2nd XI this coming weekend - where another win will be in their sights.