FROCESTER are on the brink of retaining the Premier One title despite a shock defeat at Bridgwater.

Victory at home to Taunton Deane on Saturday will see Nick Trainor’s team crowned champions again.

However, their 10-game winning streak ended on Saturday, losing by two wickets with one delivery remaining, with their lead at the top of Premier One cut to 23 points.

Earlier,Trainor won the toss and elected to bat, but Uzi Quereshi was soon back in the pavilion, bowled by Chris Skidmore for seven.

Javed Khan and Paul Muchall added 49 for the second wicket, but the Bridgwater attack bowled tightly and the scoring rate never rose much above three per over. Muchall was caught on the boundary for 23 as he tried to increase the pace.

Khan was the third to fall, striking two boundaries in a grafting innings of 38.

Louis Gegg also fell to Skidmore and Frocester were struggling at 111-4 from 30 overs.

But, Tom Wand and Trainor came to the rescue with an excellent partnership of 74, with Wand playing the leading role.

He struck seven fours and a six in an innings of 67 from 79 deliveries. Once he was dismissed with the score at 185-5, Trainor took over in a welcome return to form.

He smashed five sixes in the final overs to take his total to 67 not out, made from only 51 deliveries, as Frocester reached a final total of 223 for six in 50 overs.

Bridgwater made a good start to their innings with an opening partnership of 31.

Muchall then had Bridgwater skipper, Steve Davis, well-caught by Tom Furley for 31. Kitch (30) and Windsor (45) established a strong position for the home team, taking the score to 83 for one.

Trainor and Ashley Davis, bowling in tandem, brought Frocester back into the match, capturing three wickets, 135 for four, and Sam Birch bowled an accurate spell of swing bowling, taking two for 31 from 10 overs as Bridgwater slumped to 164 for six from 40 overs.

But, Van Der Berg, nursed the tail with a fine innings of 44, which included three fours and a six.

Muchall returned and picked up two wickets, including Van Der Berg, reducing the home team to 212 for eight from 48 overs.

With 10 required from the final over, but, with the assistance of an inside edge for four, Bridgwater scraped home.