MINEHEAD First XI travelled to Bridgwater, looking to complete the double after a comprehensive 111-run victory over the home side earlier in the season in the Premier Division of the Somerset Cricket League.

Bridgwater won the toss and chose to bat first on a very dry looking wicket, and their decision initially looked correct when opening bowlers Harry Tudball and Dan Bowditch both struck early, as both batters found the safe hands of Alfie Rucklidge to put Bridgwater on the back foot at 16-2.

However the hosts recovered to reach 50 without further loss, despite the Minehead bowlers extracting some ‘tennis ball’ like bounce from the arid surface and the score had reached 90 before Oliver Groves made a crucial breakthrough, pinning Wickens LBW for 30.

Anan Rajan joined the party from the other end and claimed the impressive looking Gunter as he feathered behind to Andrew Stevens for 36, and with Groves picking up another wicket next over Bridgy stumbled into the drinks break at 110-5. After the break Anan Rajan bowled beautifully, finding a nagging line and length which the Bridgwater batters had no answer. He and Stevens combined to take two further wickets caught behind, before removing the dangerous Mike Coles for just one run, and with the score on 141, completed a fantastic five-wicket haul by clean bowling Hurford without scoring. It was Rajan’s first 5 wicket haul for Minehead 1st XI, finishing with fantastic figures of 9 overs, 1 maiden, 5 wickets for 32 runs. Harry Swann wrapped up the Bridgwater innings with just his second ball, a beautiful delivery that took the top of off-stump to remove Higgins for 25, Bridgwater all out for 142.

With the Bridgwater innings wrapped up after just 30 overs, Minehead were faced with a tricky 90 minutes to bat before tea. Captain Bowditch gave strict instructions to his batters to not get complacent in chasing a below par score, given the inconsistent nature of the wicket in the first innings.

Ian Buchanan and Andrew Stevens set about the chase watchfully, and were tested early on by some inconsistent bounce and accurate bowling from the experienced Ian Higgins - but soon found their feet by picking up regular boundaries. Stevens looked particularly fluent through the offside, hammering cuts and drives over the infield as the score reached 45 in just 7 overs, but the Somerset Over 50’s man was soon on his way after a low-keeping ball from the leg-spin of Jackman slid under his bat, bowling him for 20.

Josh Hurley joined Buchanan, who was now scoring freely from the other end as the total raced towards 100. Hurley played a range of stylish drives across both sides of the wicket as Minehead looked to be in full control. Buchanan reached his 50, and thanks to some wayward bowling from a youthful Bridgwater bowling attack, took 18 runs from the 20th over to see Minehead home and dry for the loss of only 1 wicket. Buchanan finished 74 not out, and Hurley 25 not out, in an unbroken 101-run partnership. A maximum 35 point win lifts Minehead to 5th in the table, but only 30 points adrift from top side Taunton Deane, who they face this Saturday - where The Pirates will be looking for revenge, having suffered a 5 wicket defeat against Deane earlier in the campaign.