Cricket: Westland Sports CC can hold head high

THE captain of Westland Sports Cricket Club has congratulated his team-mates on an excellent performance this evening (Sunday, August 18, 2013) despite falling to a last-over defeat to Lansdown in the final of the Somerset Intermediate Club Cup at the County Ground in Taunton.

The Yeovil-based side had gallantly put up a brave fight against their opponents, but they finally went down fighting in the final over of the Twenty20 contest in a five-wicket defeat.

But it could have gone either way in an entertaining, tense and dramatic finale watched by a good crowd of vociferous supporters – but a determined 62 by Lansdown skipper Tom Hankins proved pivotal.

And Westland skipper Calum Gundry said: “The boys did well – they really put in a good show, but it just wasn’t enough.

“We had a few shouts against their captain who hit 60-odd; had one of those decisions gone our way, who knows?”

Gundry also thanked the Westland supporters who travelled down to Taunton from Yeovil for the match.

“I would like to thank the fans on behalf of the team – they were superb,” he said.

PHOTO - TOP: Westland Sports skipper Calum Gundry, standing fourth from left, with his team-mates at the end of the Somerset Intermediate Club Cup Final at the County Ground.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Westland Sports skipper Calum Gundry with the runners-up shield following today's tense and dramatic final at the County Ground.

Gundry won the toss and elected to bat and openers, Kieron Boucher and Matthew Davis, put on a steady start.

Davis had made 12 before he became the first wicket to depart with the score on 28.

Skipper Gundry then joined the evergreen Boucher in the middle and they began to look good and they passed the ten-over halfway mark of the innings still together at 78-1.

But it was not to last and Boucher went just one short of a well-deserved half-century with the score having moved to 83-2.

Big James Cook then departed for 11 as Westland moved to 98-3. The Yeovil side passed the 100-mark with skipper Gundry getting into the groove.

Nick Bond became wicket number four to fall with the score on 117 and was quickly followed by veteran Richard Reeves for two.

Gundry was the last Westland wicket to fall when he was snared for a patient 41 and it was left to Ben Hurlock (4no) and Duncan McCabe (5no) to see the team close on 136-6 from their 20 overs.

Many of the Westland supporters in the crowd felt that the total may have 20 or 30 runs short.

But the Lansdown innings started very slowly and they made heavy weather of the Westland attack. The first wicket fell with the score on 23 and then it was 2-43 come the end of the eighth over.

Lansdown were 56-2 at the halfway mark of their 20-over allocation; Westland were 78-1 at the same stage.

But Lansdown skipper Tom Hankins was still there and looking dangerous.

He and his partner at the crease kept the score bobbing along and at the end of the 17th over victory was looking in sight with them on 113-2 – needing 24 runs from three overs.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Westland Sports celebrate an early wicket in the Lansdown reply during today's Somerset Intermediate Club Cup Final at the County Ground in Taunton.

Lansdown moved to 124-2 with two overs remaining and the game was evenly poised and things got even tighter in the penultimate over – thanks to the bowling of Westland’s Harry Boucher.

He bowled skipper Hankins for 62 and then the very next ball did the same as Ben Marjot returned to the dugout for a golden duck.

There was not to be any hat-trick for Harry Boucher, but there was still another wicket to fall in that 19th over when Nick Bond pulled off a brilliant long-range run out.

But Lansdown had the last laugh when they closed the 19th over needing just two runs off the final over for victory - which they duly did.

Lansdown play in the West of England Premier League Bristol & North Somerset Division, while Westland are in the WEPL Somerset Division.

Although both clubs are competing at the same level, Lansdown went into the game as favourites.

But Westland will be able to hold their heads high in coming so close to bringing home some silverware.

MORE PICTURES FROM TODAY'S CUP FINAL WILL APPEAR IN A PHOTO GALLERY HERE ON THE YEOVIL PRESS WEBSITE. 

PHOTO - ABOVE: Westland Sports supporters celebrate a wicket during this afternoon's Somerset Intermediate Club Cup Final at the County Ground in Taunton.

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Yeovil Town FC.