As the annual Taunton Flower Show attracted thousands to Vivary Park, the Deane 2nds played their top of the table home game v. Lympsham & Beveldere at Taunton School. The school has been a club partner for many years and their willingness to host Deane matches in such circumstances is just one of many examples of the strength of the relationship.

The closeness of the two teams in the league table was not mirrored in the game itself. Josh Cobb asked the visitors to bat, and it took 41 overs for them to reach 135 all out. Wickets were shared around with Alex Chaffey and Harry Quirk taking three each.

An opening partnership of 56 from skipper Cobb (34) and Alfie Jaques (31) set the Deane on their way and the total was passed in just the 23rd over with 6 wickets to spare.

The Deane 2nds are now 32 points clear at the top of the table with just three league games to play.

The Deane 6ths visited Stoke St Mary where a former Deane player lay in wait.

Rowan Kyte was always a popular lad in the Deane youth teams and now he is undoubtedly popular in his village as he and Adrian Sproston put on 294 for the third wicket. Rowan carried his bat for 114. As captain Dave Webb has been known to say – Today, we came second.

The Deane 4ths also met up with a Deane old boy when they played North Petherton 2nds. Josh Thomas took only one wicket but his 39 helped North Petherton to a 4-wicket victory.

The Deane 3rds have had some memorable encounters with Bishops Hull 1st team. This latest game was no exception. The home team batted first and must have thought a chase of more than 6 an over was beyond the Deane. Max Smyth-Lees, the Deane Diamonds captain, had already taken three wickets for just 18 runs. Now it was his turn with the bat. After a good start provided by Jack Perry (36), Jack Monsey (13) and the evergreen Charlie Axon (16), Max and Leonne Dunne (72) put together a match winning partnership of 150.

Max missed his century by just 5 runs leaving 6 runs to get. Father and son, Mark and Cole Norman were at the crease as the final ball of the final over gave the Deane a famous and nail-biting victory.

Another local derby with even more bragging rights attached saw the Deane 5ths play Taunton St Andrew’s 4ths. Syed’s 78 was the mainstay of the Deane’s total of 238 although the 46 extras were a welcome bonus.

Bruce Crosland’s report to the evening gathering at the Convent Field referred to his ‘secret weapon’. The Saints’ reply had been blown apart for Paul Stratford’s 5 wicket haul. The Deane claimed bragging rights by 46 runs.

Weston-Super-Mare are languishing at the bottom of WEPL 2 while the Deane 1sts are still challenging for promotion. The game and the result confirmed the gap between the two sides.

The Deane make a solid start on a pitch that gave the batters some surprises. Harry Smith (27) shared the opening partnership with Ralph Dunne (30). Ralph looked totally at ease in his first league game for the 1sts and there is plenty of evidence that he will be a very valuable player for the club.

Sakuna had an unusually short stay as he edged one that turned and lifted but Tenny Harlow was still there. Tenny looked absolutely nailed on for a century when he went back and the ball found a way through. His 89 supported by Nick Pepper (16), Sam Burgess (31) and Ed Mellor (31) was the core of the innings. The twist in the tail was a final wicket stand of 20 with another debutant, Jayden Cruickshank, clearing the boundary in his impressive 19*.

His calmness and his excellent shot selection give Deane supporters confidence that they have yet another talent emerging from the Deane Youth system.

Skipper Russ Jones then asked Jayden to come on first change after Sakuna had taken two wickets. He rose to the challenge having the opener Tim Foden caught and bowled and then clean bowling the home captain and leading run scorer.

Jayden was not finished yet. With the score on 117 Jayden positioned himself perfectly to take a catch in the deep to close the innings and give the Deane a win by 162 runs and another 20 points to keep them second in the table behind Lansdown.

Tenny’s 89 and Sam Burgess’s 4 wickets were highlighted in Russ’s report, but it was Jayden who was the Deane 1st XI Player of the Day.

Jayden Cruickshank

The Deane 1sts are back at the Convent Field next Saturday in a game that could well define the season. The visiting side is promotion chasing Lansdown.

Dave Smith.