The latest local derby was an evenly matched affair that ended in a draw at Courtland Road last weekend with honours fairly evenly matched. This was Sampford Arundel’s first visit to Wellington since 2000 when they were despatched for just 32.

David Derrick opted to bat on winning the toss and Paul Short and Chris Kittow added 33 for the first wicket helped somewhat by the loose bowling that Sampford Arundel served up, indeed they bowled 20 wides on the day.
Kittow again showed his promise with the bat until he was bowled by a ball that never got above stump base height. Don Davey was the bowler and he bowled manfully for Sampford, taking 2-56 in 14 overs.

Alec Short joined his younger brother and they added 46 in good time as both timed the ball nicely. Short jnr with 31 was unlucky to be dismissed as he was bowled by one that caught a fair portion of his boot on the way. Oliver Defew took the wicket as he claimed 1-57 in 10 overs.

Short snr made 22 before Don Davey yorked him. This saw Wellington at 100-3 and they were in need of some impetus and it came through Kevin Crout and Gary Tillett who smote a 73 run fourth wicket partnership between them. These runs were made in good time and the momentum they built up affected Sampford Arundel in the field as the visitors lost their momentum and made unforced errors.

Tillett made a supportive 17 as Crout made his maiden Wellington fifty with a fine 66no being recorded by the left-hander. His best shot was the perfectly straight six that crashed into the sightscreen on the full – a great shot.
Rupert Green joined Crout late on and they got through to 191-4 at tea.

Wellington had early reward as Andy Mitchell removed Barry Manley stumped by Alec Short in what was a good piece of glovework by Wellington’s keeper. Mike Jarman and Rob Chave got together to settle down Wellington’s early breakthrough, but when Gary Tillett came on and bowled Jarman as he tried to play across the line Wellington had doubled their advantage.

Had the home side taken the chances offered to them the outcome of the game could have been so different, but Wellington proceeded to make a right hash of several chances and this allowed Chave and Vince Milton to put on 85 for the third wicket and with it use up valuable time so as to ensure that their team would save the game.

Milton made a solid 34 that saw him being watchful at times, but when he did open his shoulders he planted the ball into the Court three times. Eventually Alex Trott’s second spell removed him for what had been a good knock.
Chave made 63, his second half-century in local derby matches in three seasons – he hit the ball hard and he too hit one over and into the Court.

He was out when Chris Kittow held onto a great chance in the deep that saw him have to come in some way and he took the ball low down to the ground. This was Paul Short’s first of four wickets as he returned 4-34 in 9 overs. He caused Sampford Arundel some shaky moments as their score dipped from 121-2 to 134-6, but Steve Windsor and Nigel Dobson held firm to draw the game for their team and so honours were shared in this latest instalment of the Wellington v Sampford Arundel fixture.