Cricket Weston aim for back-to-back wins in bid to pull clear of relegation
WESTON-SUPER-MARE continue their battle to pull clear of the bottom three in WEPL Premier Two Bristol/Somerset and avoid relegation with a trip tomorrow to Ilminster.
Three sides appear certain to drop down because of events in Premier One. And that means Weston, who are eighth on 130, will be keen to follow up a crucial 14-run home success over fellow strugglers Keynsham and further close the gap on Taunton (140) with only four more rounds of games to go.
Taunton, meanwhile, travel to Keynsham (112), who have lost their last five games, while bottom side Shapwick & Polden (95) host third-placed Midsomer Norton.
At the top of the table, leaders Taunton Deane (241) entertain fourth-placed Bishopston, while second-placed Winterbourne (230) are home to North Perrott.
Two teams, meanwhile, will be relegated from Premier One and at this stage it appears to be a threeway fight between champions Clevedon (138), Bristol (125) and Taunton St Andrews (111) to stay up. Clevedon are away tomorrow to seventh-placed Lansdown (163) who could still be drawn into trouble, while Bristol visit leaders Potterne and Saints travel to sixthplaced Cheltenham (165).
One team will be promoted to Premier One from Premier Two Glos/Wilts, where Thornbury (225) hold a three-point lead over Chippenham. The South Gloucestershire club are away to fourthplaced Biddestone (200), while Chippenham take on Frocester who are third on 206.
It’s also extremely tight at the top of (tier three) Bristol & North Somerset where Bath 2nds last weekend leapfrogged Knowle to claim pole position in the race for the one promotion place. Bath (209) are home to third-placed Congresbury (178) this weekend, while Knowle (202) entertain Bristol West Indian Phoenix, who are fifth.
Two teams will drop down from this division back to the Bristol & District League. Bottom side Timsbury (113) have a tremendous amount of ground to make up on Frenchay (135) who travel to eightplaced Bristol 2nds (159), who topped the table after week ten but who have now dropped down after four defeats in a row.
Old Bristolians Westbury opened up a 26-point lead in the Martin Berrill Bristol & District League after hammering nearest rivals Bristol YMCA (212) last weekend.
Next up for OB Westbury is a home date with Nailsea (ninth), while YMCA entertain Keynsham 2nds (sixth) as they bid to make it two promotions in a row.
Over in the Monmouth Scientific Somerset League, Winscombe are fighting to return to WEPL after being relegated in 2014.
Taunton St Andrews 2nds (394) are clear favourites for the title with Winscombe (362) and Wells (355) battling it out for the runners up position and elevation to the WEPL Somerset division. Tomorrow, Wells host Winscombe in a crucial clash which go a long way towards deciding that second-place spot.
How WEPL would look like next year – if the season ended now:
Premier One: Potterne, Bath, Bedminster, Bridgwater, Downend, Cheltenham, Lansdown, Clevedon, Taunton Deane (promoted), Thornbury (promoted).
Premier Two Bristol/Somerset: Bristol (relegated), Taunton St Andrews (relegated), Winterbourne, Midsomer Norton, Bishopston, North Perrott, Ilminster, Taunton, Frome (promoted), Bath II (promoted).
Premier Two Glos/Wilts: Chippenham, Frocester, Biddestone, Goatacre, Corsham, Burbage & Easton Royal, Dumbleton, Stroud, Hatherley & Reddings (promoted), Marshfield (promoted).
Somerset Div: Weston-superMare (relegated), Shapwick & Polden (relegated), Minehead, Wembdon, Chard, Bridgwater II, Yeovil, Wellington, Taunton St Andrews II (promoted), Winscombe (promoted). Relegated to Somerset League: North Petherton, Street.
Bristol & North Somerset: Keynsham (relegated), Knowle, Congresbury, Twyford House, Bristol West Indian Phoenix, Brislington, Stapleton, Bristol II, OB Westbury (promoted), Bristol YMCA (promoted). Relegated to Bristol & District: Timsbury, Frenchay.
Gloucestershire Div: Bourton Vale, Cirencester, Corse & Staunton, Rockhampton, Cheltenham Civil Service, Frocester II, Gloucester, Painswick, Apperley (promoted), Thornbury II (promoted). Relegated to Gloucestershire County League: Tewkesbury.
Wiltshire Div: Trowbridge (relegated), Swindon, Westbury & District, Devizes, Warminster, Potterne, Royal Wootton Bassett, Calne, Great Bedwyn (promoted), Avebury (promoted). Relegated to Wiltshire League: Purton, Hinton Charterhouse. PRESIDENT Mike Mundy admitted it was “a dream come true” as Bradley Stoke overcame Bristol YMCA to lift the Bristol & District’s League’s Tony Hitch Trophy at Cleeve.
Mike headed a small group of residents who worked together in 1991 to form the club. And from those very modest beginnings – “we had 14 players to choose from for our first match” – Bradley Stoke have developed into a thriving community club.
Mike added: “I’m absolutely BRISTOL Asians beat Pucklechurch by 28 runs to lift the Bateman Trophy – and immediately set their sights on also avoiding relegation.
Opener Adnan Malik (32) and Sohail Javed (30) led their side to a challenging total of 156-7 in the play-off final at Cleeve, with Jamie Anstey (3-45) the pick of the Pucklechurch attack, before man-ofthe-match Shahwaiz Hassan turned the tide firmly in their favour with a delighted for everyone associated with the club. It was a wonderful day and a dream come true. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.”
Bradley Stoke went into the final as underdogs, but battled superbly to complete a 29-run victory.
Tom Laver top-scored for Bradley Stoke in a total of 128-5.
YMCA looked in total command at 75-2 only to collapse to 99 all out, Gavin Price taking 3-7 from two overs and man-of-the-match Dan Laver 4-21 from four. devastating return of 4-21, well backed up by Zahoor Ahmed (3-34).
Captain Asif Butt was delighted to lead his side to the silverware for the first time since 2008, and believes they can wriggle out of trouble after slipping into the bottom two in Division Seven of the Martin Berrill Bristol & District League. “We’re very pleased with the way we’ve played in the cup and I think we should be OK in the league,” he said.