EXETER batter Fin Hill demonstrated why Somerset have been showing more than a passing interest in him with a century in the city side’s 87-run win over Abbotskerswell.
Hill, who is studying at King’s, Taunton, has been in the Somerset Academy all this season and played for them against Devon Lions at Seaton on Sunday. He scored 43 in a losing cause.
Hill top scored on 102 for Exeter in a hefty 50-over total of 330 for eight. Along the way Hill put on 111 with Harry Fisher (52) and 104 in a hurry with Sam Read.
Read flogged the Abbotskerswell bowling for 66 off 35 balls and hit 10 fours and a six.
Keeping the runs down was a headache for Abbots’ bowlers, although James Vincent (1-45) and Nathan Walker (0-22) did a respectable job. Charlie Smout-Cooper’s bowling figures improved from none for 35 to three for 59 in the last five overs.
Read and Hill showed why the former plays for Devon and the latter is on Somerset’s player pathway with three wickets each as Abbots were bowled out for 243 with more than four overs to go.
The Smout-Cooper brothers Ed (21) and Charlie (42) opened up and with chip-ins from skipper Nick Watkin (30) and Walker (25) the total reached 144 for three. Losing three wickets for four runs scored killed off any hopes of a run chase.
Kyle Rich batted through for an unbeaten 55 for Abbots before Hill (3-37) mopped up the tail.
Watkin clearly had no complaints as he said: “We were outplayed this weekend by a very good team.”
Watkin added: “We did not bowl well and our fielding was even worse. Batting-wise was much more like it. Kyle Rich and Charlie Smout-Cooper in particular batted well.”
Abbots return of 19 points from the last 60 on offer has left them hovering over the relegation zone.
Kilmington in the second relegation place are only seven points lower down the table, which is not a lot at this stage of the season.
Abbots could be in the bottom two by Saturday night of lose to leaders Exmouth and Kilmington defeat winless Seaton.
Watkin has had a look at the table and sees no reason to start panicking.
"No panic here,” said Watkin. “It's amazing how this year if results go against you how quickly you get pulled into the relegation fight – even after winning six games prior to the last five games.
"Exmouth next and then the big games for us really do start.”
