THE halfway point of the season came last Saturday as Minehead 1st XI hosted Taunton St. Andrews 2nd XI in a must win game in the Premier Division of the Somerset League, having been on the losing side in the previous three weekends.

Dan Bowditch made his intentions clear to the opposition captain at the toss, that his wish was to bowl first upon winning it, and in sporting fashion the TSA skipper duly obliged for his side to bat first.

A bold move from Bowditch, with only two recognised seamers available for selection. However Anan Rajan and Harry Tudball were quick to step up to the plate, as Rajan pinned a TSA opener Adams LBW in just the third over of the day without scoring.

Tudball was on the money from ball one, rearranging the left-handers stumps in his next over to see the Saints slip to 24-2.

Nobody was taking the ball of Tudball as he clean bowled Woolcott, and in the next over trapped Mason-Walshaw. Tudball was on a rampage, each delivery being put in a good area.

He quickly took his fourth when he won another LBW appeal, before finding the edge of Pritchard’s bat with the next ball as Ian Buchanan held on at slip for Tudball’s first five wicket haul of the season.

New man Pringle survived the hat-trick ball, as Tudball collected his cap with sensational figures of 9 overs, 4 maidens, 5 wickets for 13 runs, with the score 51-6.

Rajan returned to the attack to collect two further quick wickets, Pringle & Fawcett caught behind by Josh Hurley and Buchanan respectively.

Jack Richards jumped into the action with a wicket in his second over, as Ellis Taylor held onto a skier to see off Hockey (12).

At 73-9 the game looked done and dusted, but numbers 10 and 11 Cleverly snd Batstone dug in and had other ideas. They took the total onto 117 before a magic delivery from Joshua Hurley ended the innings, the batting all rounder picking up his maiden 1st XI wicket at the ripe old age of 33,

The late fight showed by the TSA tailenders gave the visitors hope at the break, but intelligent batting was being displayed by Fred Wilson and Andy Stevens as they pocketed 30 runs from the opening five overs.

The duo took quick singles while hammering anything over or under pitched to the boundary, and soon the score raced on to 56 before Stevens was unluckily bowled off his pad by Pringle for 13.

Wilson continued on his merry way, and began clearing the ropes as he made light work of a modest first innings total. He was well supported by Hurley, who helped himself to three boundaries as The Pirates passed the 100 mark. Wilson brought up a deserved and well made fifty, as Minehead romped home in just 15.3 overs for the loss of only one wicket. Wilson finishing 64* from just 50 balls, Hurley making a run-a-ball 17* at the other end.

It was a day to remember for the Tudball’s as Harry’s younger brother Charlie scored a dazzling 126 on the neighbouring pitch for the 3rd XI as they defeated Hemyock CC by 178 runs, club legend Stuart Tudball well positioned on the halfway mound watching both his lads pull off match winning performances for the Pirates