AN under strength Lechlade side tasted defeat in their penultimate match of the campaign at home to Weston-super-Mare.

Joe Breet won the toss and asked Weston to bat on a fairly slow track and outfield. It was the perfect start for the hosts as Tristan Hawkes bowled Dan Press for a duck, before Shabil Ahmed followed him to the pavilion for one.

Paul Godding kept up the pressure and had Andy Fear caught by Hawkes for 17 as Weston made slow progress, taking 21 overs to reach 63 for the loss of two wickets.

Youngster Tom Barnes picked up the wicket of Rob Turner (44) in his six over spell (1-35) but it was when Hawkes returned to the attack in the 35th over that wickets began to tumble.

Moving the ball into the batsmen he trapped three successive batsmen lbw.

Whilst there was a last wicket stand of 22, Weston were bowled out for 156 in the 47th over with Hawkes picking up a season’s best of 7-29.

With no Brad Dial to rely on and the prospect of facing former South African test bowler Charl Willoughby, the hosts knew it would be no easy task to chase down this modest total.

Both openers were caught behind off Willoughby (6-19) and Benny Ellis was soon trapped lbw by the same bowler.

However it was when Joe Breet (11) was bowled through the gate by off-spinner Ashley Allen that the writing was on the wall.

Oli Thornley came to the wicket and his knock of 23 put the game back in the balance, before he was caught by a spectacularly catch from Allen.

After that the Lechlade resistance was broken as they put on just 27 runs for the remaining five wickets to slump to 104 all out in under 30 overs.