Weston-super-Mare CC 2nd XI227 / 3 (36) vs Burnham-on-Sea CC 1st XI105 / All out (27.3)

BURNHAM travelled to Weston for their opening division one game of the 2023 Summer season.

With it being the only game in the division to avoid a weather cancellation, the decision to bowl first for Skipper House was an easy one.

Matt Dibble bowled well in his five over stint, and could consider himself unlucky to not pick up a wicket.

The innings was dominated by Kruz Belcher of Weston, who took full advantage of a host of drop catches from Burnham, smashing his way to 127 not out.

Rob Driver and Connor Lefrere both picked up a wicket each, and did well to keep the run rate down.

Weston finished on 227-3 from their 36 overs, which was certainly above par given the conditions.

House and Berry opened up for Burnham and found runs hard to come by, they managed to put on 33 runs before House was bowled by Gadsden for 11 from 28 balls.

Berry did his best to stabilise the innings but didn’t get much help from the middle order, and was eventually caught for a gritty 16 from 50 balls.

Burnham were bowled out for 105 in the 28th over, succumbing to a 122 run defeat to a strong Weston side.

Captain Brad House said: “Not the start we were looking to make, I think when you drop as many catches in the field as we did, you are always going to get punished, and Kruz did that.

"Chasing that sort of total on a wicket/outfield which has obviously had a lot of rain on, was never going to be easy."

He added that the squad will bounce back.

"No real concerns going forward though, our batting has been the best in the division in recent years so we’ll bounce back in that regard, we just need to sharpen up in the field and we will be right up there come the end of the season.

"We’ve got Middlezoy in the Baker Cup, then Staplegrove at home in the league next week, so plenty of opportunities for people to put some performances in.”