MINEHEAD Third XI are through to the semi final of the Stuart Allbut Memorial Shield after they comfortably beat Wiveliscombe Seconds by eight wickets at Luttrell Way.

After winning the toss home skipper Ian Goodrum asked Wivey Seconds to bat first, a decision that proved to be the right one as the visitors slipped to 18 for three.

Minehead bowler Jithin Rajan, who’d already claimed two of the first three wickets to fall, then struck again, claiming the hat-trick, removing Ian Pincombe, J Haywood and L Clark with consecutive balls.

At 25 for six there seemed no way back but J Farrant and Heyns had other ideas and came together to see the total onto 52 , when Heyns was bowled by Lewis Goodrum for 18.

Farrant remained at the crease until he was ninth wicket to fall having made 18, caught and bowled by Sam Cobb, who also picked up the last wicket in the same way next ball as the visitors were all out for 66 in 16.3 overs.

Hat-trick here Rajan ended with the impressive figures of six wickets for 11 runs from his four overs while Sam Cobb finished with two for no runs off the three balls he bowled.

When the home side responded after losing Sam Cobb for 8 with the total on 24, Brian Penny and Steve Archer saw Minehead to 52 when Penny was out for 28 off 17 balls.

Archer was then joined by Leo Harrison and the pair saw Minehead to 68 without further loss in 7.2 overs, Archer unbeaten on 26 off 14 and Harrison not out 5.

Meanwhile Minehead lst XI suffered a disappointing defeat when they travelled to bottom side Castle Cary last Saturday and went down to a six-wicket loss in the Premier Division of the Somerset Cricket League.

Asked to bat first, the Minehead innings got off to a torrid start, losing captain Dan Bowditch (0) and fellow opener Jonah Hopkins (14) early on. Josh Hurley and Ellis Taylor wrestled some initiative back before Hurley fell to the bowling of holland (3-39) for a well-made 20.

Taylor carried on his merry way, well supported by namesake Braden (22), before attempting one big shot too many, caught one short of an entertaining 50. Some late order runs looked crucial as Chris James (27), Ian Buchanan (17) and Marc Girling (31) looked to post a competitive total.

Fourteen-year-old Harry Swann, making his 1st XI league debut, also contributed 11 not out as The Pirates posted 217 all out. Early wickets were to be key if the visitors were to make Cary work for a result but alas, they did not come. A combination of loose bowling and missed opportunities meant both openers passed 50.

Lake (51) fell shortly after passing his milestone, but Latham carried on building a platform for his side before being dismissed for well-made 71 .When Darren Sherring (3-49) saw the back of Holland, Minehead had a sniff, but any chance of an unlikely turnaround was snuffed out by opposing captain Atkins as he wasted little time putting his side back on the front foot. He struck six fours and five towering sixes on his way to an unbeaten 64 off just 38 balls to see his team over the line with six wickets and more than four overs to spare.