WATCHET’S fortunes failed to improve on Saturday as they lost by 45 runs at home to a Shapwick and Polden II side which has made an inconsistent start to the season.

Their one consolation was that the bonus points they picked up lifted them off the bottom of the Division Two table, with a home game tomorrow against Barrington, the side who have dropped below them.

After putting the visitors in, Watchet were soon awarded with the wicket of A Barr, caught behind off the bowling of Liam Woolgrove.

S Spencer was then almost taken by Milton in the covers a few balls later - a missed chance which would prove extremely costly.

Woolgrove bowled his nine overs straight through and finished with an economical 2-30.

Spencer and White batted well through the middle overs and put on 137 for the third wicket before White was removed for 46.

Strong and Lovell again bowled well but couldn’t stop Spencer reaching his century in the 34th over.

Although happy to see the back of Spencer once he had reached three figures, it set Shapwick up with a good platform to attack the bowling at the death, and good cameos from L Edmunds (28) and J Luckins (18no) helped them to finish on 248-5 from their 45 overs.

With such a daunting target for a Watchet batting line-up which has yet to fire this season, Lovell and Manley batted sensibly until drinks, reaching 71 off 20 overs.

That good base put the target in reach, but the hoodoo of the drinks break struck again as they lost three wickets in six overs including both openers - Manley for 36 and Lovell for 37.

Martin Strong and his son Ryan came to the crease and set about reassessing targets as they still needed 148 to win off 17 overs.

They batted sensibly and dealt with all of the bowling that Shapwick threw at them, taking their side to maximum batting points with a 202-3 total, Martin making 36no and Ryan 46no.

Cup final

WATCHET take on Middlezoy in the final of the Davies-Bishop Trophy on Monday evening at Staplegrove CC. All support welcome.