TROWBRIDGE CRICKET: Hatherley and Reddings v Trowbridge: TROWBRIDGE'S poor batting form continued as they failed to get a reasonable target away at Hatherley and Reddings on Saturday.

Chasing 165 to win the team failed to make a partnership on which to base the innings. Ben Whiting (22) and Keith Brennan (19) were the only batsmen to make double figures.

The improvement in both bowling and fielding were apparent in the first innings where the miserly opening combination of Cornelous Burger and Dave Neville restricted the chances for the home side to score.

Burger gained two early wickets to put the pressure on. The introduction of Richard Holbrook and Lee Maplesden began the steady fall of wickets as Hatherley looked to score runs against the two spinners.

It was only the ninth-wicket partnership between Hunter and Evans that brought the home team close to a reasonable total, as it was the 45-run partnership that was the difference between the two teams.

The second innings began positively, with Ben Whiting and Rob Edginton making good progress towards the winning score. But the luck did not run the visitors' way and despite each batsman looking comfortable at the crease, the home side made the most of a number of half chances as wickets fell at regular intervals. The introduction of Mayers to the attack proved the final nail and the innings fell away short of the hundred mark.

Trowbridge 2nds v Hatherley and Reddings 2nds: TROWBRIDGE 2nds lost their first match of the season.

Put in to bat, Trowbridge suffered another early run-out but captain Kevin Sheppard came to the rescue.

By the time he was trapped leg-before for 62, he had guided the score along to 117 for 4.

The lower order collapsed, all falling to the spin of Phil Mayes, who ended with 5-51. Craig Brennan, batting at six, applied himself but was stranded on 14 at the close, the last four batsmen scoring one run between them. To make matters worse, Trowbridge failed to use their 45 overs, giving Hatherley an extra four overs to reach the target of 159.

Trowbridge bowlers applied themselves from the start. Seb Duggan and Phil Usher both took two early wickets to leave Hatherley on 33-4, but this brought Tom Moseling to the crease, and he dug in to see off the opening bowlers.

Phil Rutland and Chris Watts then joined in with two wickets each, and at 111-8 it looked to be Trowbridge's game. But the Hatherley tail was resistant and Moseley guided them home to win off the 47th over with two wickets in hand, ending on an unbeaten 73.