Ebdon and Lewis are centurions as Bear Flat 1sts see off Perrott

Round-up of Bear Flat Cricket Club’s matches – Saturday 25th July.

Bear Flat 1st XI strengthened their bid for the Somerset League Division Four title by overcoming North Perrott 2nd XI. But the Bears’ 2nd XI lost to their Cheddar counterparts

Two centurions helped ensure Bear Flat 1st XI’s lead at the top of Somerset League Division Four has increased again.

The Bears went into their game with North Perrott 2nd XI on Saturday 25th July with a 12-point advantage over second-placed Holford 1st XI.

But Holford were beaten by seven wickets when they entertained Spaxton 1st XI in a Quantocks derby.

Holford have dropped into third spot, overtaken by Trull 1st XI who enjoyed a six-wicket home success against Purnell 1st XI.

The upshot is the 32 points that Bear Flat gained from their 12-run win over South Somerset team Perrott put them 13 points clear of Trull with five rounds of matches remaining. Holford are 18 points adrift of Trull.

The Bears piled up 282-5 at The Glasshouse Playing Fields in Combe Down after electing to bat, James Ebdon and Harry Lewis each reaching three figures.

Opener Ebdon made 107 – with 20 fours – off 100 balls.

And skipper and number four Lewis cracked a six and 13 fours as he raced to 102 not out from 82 deliveries.

The third-biggest contribution for Bear Flat came from extras (31).

Indeed the hosts were in trouble at 30-2, only for Ebdon and Lewis to turn the tables with a third-wicket stand that produced 169 runs.

Oliver Copeman and Anthony Rousell bagged two wickets apiece for the travellers.

Perrott had won only three of their previous 12 league matches but they made a battling performance in the response, closing their 40 overs on 270-7.

They also had a centurion, opener Milo Mounde hitting 100.

James Coverdale, batting at number six, added 54 and Seb Sanders (39 not out) and Felix Mounde (36) crafted valuable knocks.

Sam Homan was the most successful Bear Flat bowler, snaring 3-35 from eight overs.

Matt Tomes-Smith weighed in with 2-45 off eight overs.

Bear Flat 2nd XI were beaten by six wickets when they took on their Cheddar counterparts at Sharpham Road in Somerset League Division Six North on 25th July.

The result means the Bears have lost six of their last seven fixtures.

Having opted to bat, Beat Flat posted 208-8.

They were given a solid start by first-wicket pair Andrew Ebdon (42) and Simon Brocklebank (34) but nobody else topped 25. There were, though, 38 extras.

Cheddar’s James Houghton took 2-34 in eight overs and Arthur Parfitt returned 2-26 from three overs.

Then, with David Gooch (43) and Isaac McLaren (66) plundering 133 for the second wicket, the Sedgemoor team eased to 211-4 with almost seven of their 40 overs remaining.

Ben Hawkins snaffled 3-40 off 7.3 overs for the Bears, who are in sixth place in the nine-team division.

Forthcoming fixtures:

Saturday 1st August:

Somerset League:

Division Four: Glastonbury 1st XI v Bear Flat 1st XI (at Tor Sports & Leisure, 1.30pm).

Division Six North: Middlezoy 2nd XI v Bear Flat 2nd XI (at Middlezoy Village Hall, 1.30pm).