Bridgwater CC 210ao (50ovs) lost to Bristol CC 213-4 (47.2 ovs) by 4 wickets.

Premier 1 leaders Bridgwater put in a mixed performance against 3rd placed Bristol to lose by 6 wickets at Failand on Saturday.

Choosing to bat first, the visitors could never get on top of the home side's opening bowlers, slumping to 76-5 on a pitch helpful to the seamers.  All the Bridgwater top order got starts but none could capitalize.  It was left to skipper Alex Eckland with a masterful 84 (8x4's) with excellent timing and running between the wickets to rebuild the innings, supported by a subdued Ryan Thorpe (22) and the tail.  

Louie Shaw (3-31) and Will Rudge (3-34) did most of the damage as Bridgwater reached an under par 210ao, a good 40 runs short of a defendable target as the pitch eased.

A good start with the ball was needed but Bridgwater struggled in the early overs as Bristol moved to 60 in the power play losing only one wicket.  Mike Coles rolled back the years with a frugal 23 off his 8 overs but the bowlers could not achieve the vital breakthrough until a sharp bit of fielding from Charlie Sharland saw Shahil Mustapha (41) run out.  Meanwhile, New Zealand overseas batsman Curtis Heaphy was laying the foundations for a match winning performance, despite surviving a very confident appeal for caught behind while in the 50's.  He was supported by Shaw (39) as the pair took the score to 162 before he was trapped in front by the returning Matt Burton.  Bridgwater battled hard and fielded sharply but Heaphy paced his innings well, moving to his hundred with the winning runs to see his team home in the 48th over, leaving Bridgwater ruing the poor start with the bat that may cost them dear in the Championship run in.

Bridgwater will play their SCF Major Cup Semi Final versus Ilminster on The Parks on Wednesday 31st July 6pm start

The thirds were in T20 action on Sunday as they defeated Castle Cary by 89 runs.

Bridgwater 3rd X1 gained ample revenge for their semi final defeat to the same opposition last season, with a thumping 89 run victory at a sweltering Parks on Sunday.

Bridgwater scored 182-3 off their 20 over with Scott Clapp scoring 101. Castle Cary were restricted to 93 all out in 17 overs.

Bridgwater 3rd X1 will now play Lympsham and Belvedere CC at the County Ground in the SCF Intermediate Cup Final on Sunday 11th August.