No Shakin' Stephens sees the Sunset at Shapwick

Batting first, 54 from number 7 Stephens and 34 from opener Sam Loud and number 4 Harry Thomas, propelled the Deane to 236 all out from 49 overs.

Earlier on the Deane welcomed back Rob Woodman as skipper, Charlie Sharland and Stephens to the ranks. Woodman was first to go in the Deane innings, tamely pushing a caught and bowled back to Joe Mason (1-40) for 2.

Tennessee Harlow and Charlie Sharland both fell for 8 as the Deane experienced their customary middle order wobble. Both batsmen pushing short pitched, knee high deliveries from Josh Luckins (2-35) to either Mason brother at mid-wicket.

Sam Loud stood tall at the other end and assisted by the short boundary to one side, battled his way back into form with cuts and drives through the off-side.

When Loud (34) was bowled to become a first victim for Oskar White (3-61) and Harry Thomas (34) departed lofting a dolly to the hands of Sean Stringer at deep long on, the Deane were precariously placed on 134-5 with less than 20 overs left.

Luke Williams was joined by number 7 Stephens and the pair took the Deane past 150 and towards a third batting point before Williams succumbed LBW to Karmarkar for 16. Shaikh ‘n Stephens pushed the Deane onwards still, but it was Stephens and the combination of Derham and then Pryke that really brought home the Deane advantage.

Quick singles and excellent running combined with deft paddle sweeps and cuts square of the wicket saw the Derham and Stephens partnership yield more than 30 runs for the 8th wicket and Stephens reached his maiden half-century for the Deane.

A further 30 runs were added with Pryke (16) as he took to full toll of anything above the eye line and duly dispatch two monster sixes deep over long-on as the Deane finish on 236 all out, Stephens a fourth victim for Oskar White (3-61) and then Pryke stumped off Karmarkar.

The Somerset one-day cup final provided ample distraction during the tea interval and engagements elsewhere evidently played on the mind of the Deane bowlers as they struggled to settle into any kind of rhythm at either end.

Sam Edmunds (21) was soon into his work punishing anything wide or wayward and when Steve Tinnnion came to the wicket after the dismissal of Vekatrao (0), LBW to Rob Pryke (2-36), the runs continued to flow.

Just as Shapwick looked like they may run away with the chase, the introduction of Stephens reaped immediate reward as he trapped Tinnion in front LBW for 19. One wicket brought a second as not long after Harry Thomas held onto a sharp catch in the gully to see the back of Edmunds (21)

With the top three gone, the middle order pair of Wayne Spencer and John Stratton looked to bat Shapwick back into the game, the wicket of Stratton aside, caught by Harry Thomas from Woodman’s first ball, the home side grew increasingly confident and assured in their run chase.

Stratton and Mason combined for useful partnerships with Shaopwick number 4 Spencer and he went to deserved half-century just after drinks. However, when Stephens picked up his second wicket, Mason pushing to Rod Woodman at midwicket, the game swung in the Deane’s favour.

Oskar White provided useful resistance at 7 but when Matt Derham (2-40) returned to trap him LBW and then bowl dangerman Spencer (75), the Deane sensed victory. It was left to Luke Williams (1-36) and Jason Squire (2-29) to finish the job as the Shapwick tail yielded only another 18 runs as they subsided to a fourth straight defeat.

The Deane had won by 24 runs, picking up maximum batting and bowling points for the first time this season. The win sees them move into second place, one-point behind next opponents North Perrott.