OVER Stowey sprang the surprise of the day in the first division of the West Somerset Cricket League by beating title-chasing and last season’s winners Watchet by 43 runs.

Choosing to bat first after winning the toss, eighth-placed Stowey scored 208-9 in their 40 overs with Simon Burland top scoring with 56 not out, while opener Tyler Coleman made 45. Oliver Saddington took 2-34, A King 2-38 and Vishnu Kombath 2-39.

Watchet, who had lost only one of their previous games this season, were always struggling against Stowey’s bowling attack of Liam Barrow (3-40), Hayden Langlois (2-37), Coleman (3-54) and Kieran Barrow (2-28) and were bowled out for 165. Tom Sparks scored 36, Christian Cullum 35 and Kombath 25.

Watchet’s title rivals Ashbrittle won by 64 runs at Bagborough to open up a 19-point lead at the top of the table.

Put into bat, Ashbrittle were all out for 210 with Steve Grant top scoring with 52, which included nine fours, while Oliver White hit 37, Mark White 33 and William Barrington 22. Bagborough’s leading bowler was Henry Stirzaker who took 5-42 while David Stirzaker snapped up 2-25.

Bagborough made a bright start but lost their last eight wickets for the addition of only 41 runs. Jed Glanvill scored 33, Tom Eve 25, Jack Martin and James Middleton both 23. Oliver White took 4-22, William Barrington 3-20 and Grant 2-35. Ashbrittle collected a maximum 35 points for their win, their eighth of the summer.

Morebath, in fourth spot, were 139-run home winners over Kilve. R Bowden was Morebath’s star batter in an all out score of 252, knocking 109 with 15 fours and five sixes. Dan Coles made 39, Toby Radford 32 and Graham Turner 32. Kilve’s most successful bowler was Ben Gannon with 3-48.

Kilve never recovered from a disastrous start, losing half their side for 19 runs against the bowling of Toby Radford (4-49), Bowden 2-9, Irindu Gallage 2-40 and R Chiplin 2-14.

Sampford Arundel conceded their game at home to Crowcombe who are third in the table, with a game in hand on the two sides above them. Ashbrittle have 351 points from 12 matches, Watchet 332 from the same number of games, while Crowcombe are a further 35 points adrift.

Churchinford were another side to cause a shock in Division Two by winning at home against the leaders Stoke St Mary by five wickets.

Stoke, who chose to bat first after winning the toss, were bowled out for 215 in 39.1 overs with Chris Roberts taking 4-56, Kalann Nessling 2-40, Luke de Hann 2-39 and Ramanpreet Singh 2-21.

Stoke’s leading batter was opener Daniel Batchelor who scored quicker than a run-a-ball 55 while Ben Gray made 42.

Connor Miles steered Churchinford to an unexpected victory with 54 made off only 34 balls, while Nessling was 34 not out, having shared in a fifth-wicket stand of 80 with Miles.

Results, West Somerset Cricket League, Division One: Bagborough 146 (17pts), Ashbrittle 210 (35); Morebath 252 (5), Kilve 113 (13); Over Stowey 208-9 (35), Watchet 165 (17); Sampford Arundel (0), Crowcombe (35).

Division Two: Churchinford 216-5 (35), Stoke St Mary 215 (15).

*Over Stowey will be looking to pull off another surprise when they play at Ashbrittle this coming weekend (August 1).