No Deane Dream at Midsomer

Bowling first in a rain affected match, reduced to 40 overs per side, the Deane made early in roads into the MSN top order. Opener Harry Smith 3-30 had Hashan Guanthilaka caught down the leg side by a diving Sam Shaikh who took a smart one handed catch, before Martin Cox was sent on his way LBW 5 runs later to leave the hosts 20-2.

MSN skipper Nick Pang came and went for 9 as opener Alex Lear remained unmoved at the other end having seen the first three wickets fall for 30 runs. The introduction of Matt Derham and debutant Roelof van der Merwe served to further constrain the scoring rate, as van der Merwe, extracting prodigious turn and bounce, proceeded to claim 3-22 from his allotted 8 overs.

Number five Morgan Skipp was next to fall, adjudged LBW for 9, before opener Lear departed for a patient 29, bowled by leg spinner Luke Williams (1-35) with the score 114-5. The wicket of Lear brought Andrew Cox to the wicket, he was supported well by Dan Nolan as the sixth wicket partnership yielded 55 runs as the former played his shots taking the score to 169 before van der Merwe claimed a steepling catch of his own bowling as Cox made 37 from just 24 balls.

Nolan continued where his colleague left off and having passed his half century proceeded to open his arms, the seventh wicket partnership similarly destructive as Nolan contributed 33 of the next 37 runs to finish unbeaten on 83 not out as MSN posted 207-7 from their 40 overs.

The Deane reply started well as Alastair Warren and Calvin Harrison pushed the score to 24 before Harrison (8) was somewhat unfortunate to be caught behind working ball to fine leg off the bowling of Chris Hampshire (5-35). Skipper Thomas and Warren moved the score to 55 before Thomas fell for 13, caught off the bowling of his opposite number.

5 runs later Roelof van der Merwe (4) also fell Pang, before Henry Mellor was pinned on the crease from the other end to give Hampshire his second wicket of the afternoon and leave the Deane reeling at 61-4. This was soon 67-5, as James-Bradley tried to force one past the bowler to be bowled for 35. Hampshrie then bowled Luke Williams for 4 and Liam Redrup for 2 as his claimed his fourth and fifth wickets respectively to see the visitors 70-7. Number 8 Sam Shaikh was run out in a miscommunication with Harry Smith to make it 75-8.

Smith atoned himself somewhat with a well compiled 20 as he battled with Rob Pryke (28) to earn the Deane their first batting point of the afternoon. However, he was the penultimate wicket to fall, LBW to Josh Sutton before Hashan Guanthilaka sealed the MSN victory as number 10 Pryke was stumped for 28, as the Deane subsided to 128 all out in 33.1 overs.

The Deane took four point from the game to fall to fifth alongside Shapwick and Polden, who they face next Saturday at The Convent Field.