Wellington’s Sunday XI match at West Somerset League Division Two side Knapp was illuminated by the 139no that Alec Short scored in partnership with teenager Chris Kitto who scored his maiden Wellington half-century.The pair added 154 runs together and in the process smashed the club’s best friendly fourth wicket stand by 18 runs as they eclipsed the 136 runs added by Chris Rudd and Keith Colman against Epping in 1996.

Knapp opted to bat and they wasted no time in utilising the short boundaries and fast outfield as runs flowed from the bats of Sam Wadham and Lee Denslow after Adrian Lee and Andy Mitchell had struck early on. Lee returned the impeccable figures of 3-38 in 8 overs at a time when the ball was flying everywhere.

Paul Short’s teasing off-spin mix was always dangerous and he used the quicker ball very well indeed. Alex Trott – improving all the time on his return to the game – took a steepling caught and bowled chance and bowled better than his 1-38 in 7 overs might seem on the face of it.

Wellington used Chris Kitto and Chris Cherry late on and neither of these members of the Under 15s team disappointed as Kitto removed Indian player Gurban and Cherry whipped up some good pace. Adrian Hearn took over as keeper late on and kept quite tidily indeed with a couple of dismissals to his credit.

Wellington lost a wicket at 8 before the Short brothers – Paul and Alec – got going well and looked set before the stand was ended abruptly when Short jnr was run out from a direct hit. Kevin Crout arrived at the crease and made an easy looking 11 until he too was run out and at 67-3 Wellington had a mountain to climb. Then Short snr and Kitto played imperiously as they worked the ball into the numerous gaps well for ones and twos as well as launching the ball over the boundaries often.

Wellington had a chance of overhauling the 253 needed if they had batted through, but Gurban came into the attack and ended the merry spree with a four wicket burst, but Short made it to the end of the innings unbeaten on 139no and with it had his second century in this fixture in successive seasons. He made 114 last season, and this games century was the fifth highest individual score in a friendly fixture for the Wellington club and only four behind his personal best of 143 that was made at Holford in 2002.