Match Report

2nd XI vs Taunton St Andrews, 18th June 2005

Cheddar 2nds 223 for 5 beat Taunton St Andrews 125 by 98 runs

A glittering 89 not out by Mike Sims set up Cheddar for an emphatic win and keep them in second place in the first division.

Choosing to bat first in sultry conditions, Cheddar got off to a circumspect start as openers John Sims and Bron Purkiss got used to the uneven bounce. Sims was caught behind in the 9 th over and replaced by Richard Kent . Kent started steadily but began to find the boundary as Taunton 's Suresh and Carter flagged in the heat. With Purkiss he took the score to 67 before Purkiss (15) was caught at midwicket in the 23 rd over looking to up the pace. This brought Mike Sims to the crease and he was soon into his elegant stride driving sweetly and pulling ferociously whenever the bowlers dropped short. As the field got deeper, Kent and Sims were able to pick up singles to bring up the hundred in 27 overs. With Taunton ringing the bowling changes, the Cheddar pair continued to dominate. Kent was eventually caught and bowled by spinner Bradford for 62 but Sims continued on his merry way playing shots all round the wicket. Ant Perrins (14) crashed an imperious four before being bowled trying an audacious late cut in the penultimate over. Sims saw out the innings to remain unbeaten only 11 short of a well deserved century.

Taunton never got out of the starting blocks in reply. Gareth Humberstone bowled the wafting Radford in the second over before Sayan Chattopadhyay bustled out Brice. Cheddar's opening pair bowled with aggression and imagination to leave Taunton reeling at 48 for 5. Che Moore replaced Chattopadhyay (3-30) at the town end and immediately started to bamboozle the batsmen with some trademark fizz pop. Dave Phillips (1-35) replaced Humberstone (3-30) and immediately found a nagging line and length. Yet it was Moore (3-13) who picked up the threatening Hockey (22) thanks to a sharp catch by Chattopadhyay. 'Keeper Ben Stacey was in lightening form behind the stumps and the square leg umpire had to be on his toes with two tight stumping appeals. But it the Moore - Chattopadhyay combination which sealed the match for Cheddar with the Indian taking a superb diving catch at midwicket to leave Taunton all out with 16 overs still remaining.