ILMINSTER 112-4 MIDSOMER NORTON 110
Having taken maximum points beating Keynsham the previous week, Midsomer Norton came clattering back down to earth last Saturday when they picked up just two bonus points in a heavy defeat at the hands of Ilminster.
Travelling to Ilminster on a lovely, sunny day, batting first after winning the toss was an obvious choice for Norton skipper, Nick Pang, to make, but the visitors’ shortcomings with the bat put them under self-inflicted pressure almost as soon as the game began. The first three batsmen were back in the changing rooms before ten runs were on the board, and Norton soon found themselves 14-4. When the fifth wicket fell at 36, the first five of the Norton batters had been dismissed without reaching double figures, and only eighteen of Norton’s fifty overs had been bowled.
Skipper, Pang, joined Martin Cox at the wicket and the pair added more than forty runs before Pang was stumped for 21. Cox followed soon after, top-scoring with 33. John Carroll and Josh Sutton helped Norton reach three figures but the innings closed after 38 overs with 110 runs on the board. Without the sixteen extras, things would have been even worse.
Gary Filer struck in his first over and Ilminster were 20-1, but by the time Ilminster lost their second wicket, there were more than 90 runs on the board. Dan Chard bowled well to
finish with 3-31, but Ilminster won the match comfortably, the winning runs coming in the 34th over. Victory meant that Ilminster leapfrogged Norton in the WEPL Premier Two League table. Midsomer Norton now sit sixth in the table with a home fixture against Shapwick & Polden this Saturday, 8th June. The game starts at 12.30 p.m.
Charlie Matthews