The Deane sides returned to the Convent Field on Saturday evening with many and varied tales of spectacular achievements. Of the six sides that represented the club, four were victorious.

The 4ths travelled to Yeovil Royal Blasters and could only manage 117, a total the home side had little difficulty passing.

The Deane 3rds have found life hard after their promotion last season and needed a good performance to stave off the risk of relegation. That was achieved in some style. Dave Jessop’s post-match summary heaped praise on a side that scored 326 in just 40 overs against Wiveliscombe’s 1st XI. The home side’s reply was a below par 140 all out with James Tier taking a very impressive 5-21. However, Dave’s choice for Player of the day was James Perry who scored a match defining 133.

The 5ths were in a tight game against Wellington 3rds. Fin Bendle (80) was the mainstay of the Deane innings which closed on 197. Good bowling from the 6 Deane bowlers limited the home side and, with the evergreen Phil Batstone claiming 4 wickets, Wellington fell 18 runs short.

The 1st XI welcomed Twyford House to the Convent Field for the first time. The visitors’ impressive 1st wicket stand of 72 was followed by the fall of 4 wickets for 40 runs with Jack Leach and Sakuna claiming two each.

Sakuna claimed another and Sam Burgess bagged 4 as the visitors could muster just 199.

The Deane reply had a few too many stutters for the liking of a large gathering of Deane supporters, but Sakuna did what he has done so may times wearing the Deane green and saw the side home with an unbeaten 88.

The Deane 6th XI suffered a defeat in the bucolic surroundings of Brompton Ralph but the story of the game proved the unpredictability of cricket. At 51-9, the Deane were a long way short of the total of 186 set by the hosts. A 109-run 9th wicket partnership – surely a contender to be included in next year’s Playfair – between Jeff and Bashir nearly saved the day.

The 2nds had travelled to Minehead and asked the home side to bat first. A few Minehead players got a good start, but none scored a 50 and the innings closed on 214. Although 8 wickets were lost in the reply, the Deane passed the target with 9 overs to spare. Nic Viljoen was at the wicket while 201 runs were scored and his unbeaten 77 at a run a ball was central to a win that keeps the 2nds in top spot and looking for promotion.

The Deane 2nd XI was in action again on Sunday, this time at the County Ground in the final of the County Intermediate Cup.

Both the two earlier finals had gone to the wire so there was tense anticipation amongst the 200 or so Deane supporters as Jack Blackwell and skipper Josh Cobb started the Deane innings.

Josh departed for 24 in the 4th over leaving the Deane already on 41. His replacement at the crease, Benny Jessop, was in no mood to reduce the pressure and Jack Blackwell drew gasps of admiration with his straight driving as he powered his way to a quite brilliant 70 from just 34 balls. The Deane batters came, scored heavily and departed. There was little rest for the tiring Cleeve bowlers and fielders. Alex Chaffey (34), Sam Shaikh (20*) and Dave Jessop (8*) all hit maximums as the Deane score went past the psychologically important 200.

Cleeve needed a good start to have a chance of getting past 209 but they were to find the Deane bowlers and fielders as tenacious as their batters had been belligerent.

Connor Chilcott bowled his 4 overs of left arm spin for just 22. He also succeeded in taking 5 wickets. Cleeve were 81-6 at the end of the 11th over and few could imagine how the situation could be retrieved. It wasn’t and with Ollie Salt picking up 3 wickets, Cleeve were all out for 117 in the 17th over.

The final wicket fell to Harry Quirk whose solitary and exceptional sweeper fielding on the long boundary in front of Caddick Pavilion had been rewarded with regular bouts of loud appreciation from the crowd.

This game confirmed what so many at the club have thought for some time – that this is a very strong 2nd XI that has a good chance of picking up one more trophy this season. That Premiership title will be just a bit closer if the Deane can secure a win next Saturday v. 2nd place Lymsham & Belvedere.

Dave Smith.