Bath vs Taunton Deane match report
17 July 2021
Bath made it 4 league wins in a row with a comfortable 6 wicket win over Taunton Deane.
After being asked to bowl, Bath found it hard to make early inroads and Taunton Dean progressed to 52 without loss. 2 wickets in 2 balls then followed as Tim Rouse and Matt Cadywould struck, before James Arney then removed the Deane captain to leave the innings on 69/3. From then on, Deane continued to move along at around 5 runs an over and Bath kept chipping away with wickets - Kyle Hopper striking in his first over before Paul Muchall was brought back to claim 2 wickets. Muchall, George Axtell and Harry Hankins kept the runs down in the final overs with Hankins taking 2 further wickets as the innings closed on 224/9.
The replay got off to a great start as George Hankins and Rouse put on 92 for the 1st wicket in just 16 overs before Hankins was caught for 42 from 44 balls. Ashur Morrison was unfortunately bowled off a deflection but the chase was always under control as Ben Wells joined Rouse and took the score on to 154 before Rouse was caught & bowled for 65. Samuel Alexander Mount followed up from last week with another positive innings (38* from 26 balls), ensuring the game was won with plenty of time to spare, alongside Harry Hankins (12*) after Wells had been dismissed for 43.
Taunton Deane - 224/9 (45) - Muchall 2/36, H. Hankins 2/38
Bath - 230/4 (39.3) - Rouse 65, Wells 43, G. Hankins 42, Mount 38*
This win moves Bath up to 4th in the league, with just 20 points separating the top 4. A trip to Chippenham awaits next week, with the team looking to avenge a surprise defeat at North Parade earlier this year - but before that there is a trip to Bridgwater tomorrow, as the National KO reaches the last 16 stage.
Friday night also brings a trip to Potterne for the final of the WEPL t20 tournament - victory in that match will see Bath progress to the national stages.
