Chard CC lost at home to Temple Cloud by 18 runs this weekend, despite some good bowling, as they fell just short of the needed 152 run total.

Chard were immediately on the attack as they opened the bowling as Malcolm Cloete, 4-41 from 10 overs, took not one, not two, but three wickets inside the first five overs.

He took both Temple openers out for ducks and the third batsman for four, putting the visitors at 3-7 after just 27 deliveries.

Temple’s batsmen did reply as their fourth and fifth hitters started to build a partnership, taking their team past the 50-run mark until Chris Scott, 4-18 from 8.2 overs, claimed his first scalp in the 23rd over.

He then added his second two overs later to take Temple to 87-5 before Oliver Legg, 2-20 from eight overs, joined the attack to produce two wicket maidens before the 30th over and reduce Temple to 105-7.

Scott and Jonathan Legg then joined the attack with 20 overs to play and Scott struck soon after, removing Temple’s eighth batter before Cloete claimed his fourth of the day two overs later in the 39th to reduce the visitors to 137-9 with 11.2 overs still to play.

It took Chard six more overs to eventually topple Temple as Scott claimed his fourth at the start of the 45th, closing Temple’s innings on 152 runs.

Chard knew it was a reachable score, but despite their great form with the ball they were unable to find any consistency with the bat and only saw Reid Mawdsley go above 20 with his innings of 32 runs.

Niall Crouch opened with Mawdsley, and the former got off to a quick start as he hit 15 off 14 balls before being bowled in the fourth over.

Harvey Evans then joined Mawdsley in the square and the two built a partnership to take the team to 63 runs in the 24th over until Mawdsley was bowled for 32 runs and replacement Legg followed just two balls later to put Chard on 63-3 after 24 overs.

After a reasonable start for Chard wickets started falling at regular intervals for minimal runs.

Wickets fell at 69-4, 72-5, 93-6, 107-7, and 109-8, taking the game away from the home team as the bottom order could only take Chard to 134 runs before being bowled out in the 42nd over, giving Temple the narrow 18-run win.