Wellington Cricket Club

For the second successive week Adrian Lee was the star of Wellington 2nd XI’s dramatic win at Butleigh. He followed his 6 for 18 against Staplegrove with an undefeated 60 in under 7 overs to ensure victory with 2 balls remaining. He struck 5 sixes and 4 fours in fading light; most hit straight back over the bowlers head. He was well supported by Phil Nicholls who finished on 21 not out.

Butleigh decided to bat on a damp wicket and slow outfield and were two down within 9 overs-both batsmen adjudged LBW by their own team-mates. Skipper Alan Guyver and Andy Foyne treated the bowling with considerable respect with just 50 coming in the first 16 overs. Gradually the pair picked up the scoring rate and as the outfield started to dry they found runs easier.

They were helped by some short boundaries but after adding 90 Foyne chased a wide ball to edge a catch well taken by Julian Jones. Bob Trott made numerous bowling changes as Guyver played some aggressive shots although he lost partners at regular intervals. Phil Nicholls bowled a beauty that pitched outside leg to hit the top of the off stump to remove Chick. Davies added 10 and Tinker was caught by Lee on the boundary for 14.

As a result of some indisiplined bowling Wellington conceded a mammoth 20 wides as the score topped 200. Skipper Guyver secured his century in the last over and then gave his only chance of the innings which was missed

Adrian Lee returned 10-1-52-2, Roy Hutchings 12-4-45-2 and Phil Nicholls 12-0-52-4 -his third 4-wicket haul in just 7 matches this season.

Wellington required a minimum of 13 points to ensure safety and therefore needed to score at least 100 in their innings. Matt Coleman was caught for 8 and Rupert Green, who has made a big impact in his first season for Wellington, made 21 as the second wicket went down at 43 in the 14th over. Chris Close and James Dyke forged a steady partnership although the excellent Butleigh field placing resulted in a stream of singles. Close was eventually caught for 33 and Dyke fell in the same over for 20 with the score on 91.

Sparks brought up the required 100 before his dismissal and Jones (12) and Trott (10) took the score to 129 before Lee joined Nicholls. The Butleigh attack had no answer to the ferocious assault that followed and a victory for Wellington did not seem a possibility until the 43rd over. Fittingly Lee struck his 9th boundary to bring the visitors victory and record his highest ever score for Wellington. The previous 6 overs were hit for 11,13,14,8,15 and 10.

Seven bowlers were used with Barron taking 2 for 21 and 5 others taking one each.

Wellington had a disastrous first half of the season losing 6 of their first 7 matches. However the second half saw 6 victories in 9 outings. Matt Colman who played in 5 matches was on the winning side on each occasion.

Bob Trott used 25 players during the season with just 2 players, Trott and Dyke, featuring in every match. With 4 teams due to be relegated from the 10 in the League Wellington have done well particularly after the indifferent start. Many thanks to all these who helped in the season particularly Jane Trott for the teas and Dennis Fullstone for umpiring at home. Above all to Bob Trott who always managed to see the “funny side” whichever way the results went.

It was pleasing to see the commitment of youngsters Alex Sparks and Guy Murray who both played for the majority of the season.

Wellington’s last Somerset League Division One fixture of 2004 had a rather end-of-season feel to it as league runners-up Ilton recorded a five wicket win at Courtland Road last weekend.
Wellington fielded a side that showed several changes from the previous week and were put into bat on losing the toss.

Rob Moysey, who led the side on the day, and Alec Short batted calmly enough against the high pace of Mason, but his efforts eventually paid off as he accounted for both Wellington openers for 17 and 33 respectively.
After this only Simon Rudd with 25 made it to double figures as the innings became a bit of a procession as Wellington were bundled out for 97 in 36.1 overs.

Ilton, resigned to runners-up spot after Street beat Minehead to win the league title, were made to work hard for their win as John Paine and Simon Rudd kept things tight. Rudd claimed 2-38 in 9 overs as he removed both Ilton openers.
Paine and Rudd gave way to Thom Trott and Gary Tillett who again did a good restricting job in terms of the run rate and prized out three more Ilton wickets, Trott took 2-16 in his 6 overs and Tillett 1-7 in his, but Ilton were always OK, despite been 78-5, as Price and Holley saw them home with 13.4 overs to spare and to 34 points compared to Wellington’s nine.

Wellington Sunday XI kept up their good form in Division Two of the Three Counties League with a heavy win over Ottery St Mary at Courtland Road last weekend when the promised heavy rain never materialised.

Ottery St Mary won the toss and opted to insert Wellington and there were few alarms as Rob Moysey and Thom Trott put on 39 for the first wicket with Trott pulling the ball and Moysey cutting well, although in left-arm quickie Crabb Ottery had someone who did make the new ball jag and move around alarmingly.
Neither opener was looking in any real danger, but Trott was through the pull shot too early and was bowled for 13 and Moysey, having taken 14 from four balls in Wittington’s first over, was then bowled on the fifth by a grubber, he had made 38.

James Dyke with 12 was looking to get on the front foot, but was perhaps too early into the drive on the delivery that accounted for him. Kevin Crout, whose batting has blossomed so much in 2004, overcame a slightly shaky start to make an excellent 32 that saw him play the check drive shot well. He combined well with Dave Hewitt and added 45 for the fifth wicket at a time when Wellington’s early momentum was being checked by the likes of Tennant and Barnes who took 2-23 and 3-46 respectively.

Hewitt played the innings of the day without any doubt as he gave a real display of placement, timing and power. He made 77no and put the ball just where the fielder was not and in conjunction with Chris Kitto added 54 quickfire runs for the eighth wicket that put Wellington in the box set. Kitto with 14 did his bit and with Guy Murray and Alec Short Hewitt ensured that Wellington had a large total to play with.

The asking rate of 6 an over was too much for Ottery St Mary, but Wellington were not guaranteed a victory as by now the rain was not far away and the light was going and the game could have been abandoned at any time. However, Wellington were smart and got through their overs in good time.

Chris Kitto got the initial breakthrough when Ottery skipper Cox looped one up to Alec Short, but Perfect and the obdurate Dean ensured that Wellington would have to wait for their wickets and, as previously stated, with the game not always going to definitely finish, keeping the home side at bay whilst not going for the runs had some merit in it, however tenuous.

But the turn to spin was the key for Wellington as Alec Short took 2-14 in 6 overs and since he has stopped keeping on Sundays his leg-spin has become something of a useful weapon again. His younger brother Paul took 2-26 in 8 overs and nearly made it full bowling points for Wellington, but in the last over Harrison just managed to loft one over the head of the infield and evade Wellington’s catchers.

Rob Moysey used all his leg-spinning ingenuity to trap four Ottery batsmen for only 11 runs and in the end Wellington just about made it to the end of the game before the rain swept in and they took 18 points to Ottery’s 11.
Wellington are still unbeaten in this competition with three wins and a tie in four games, but with Taunton Deane visiting Courtland Road this weekend the sternest test is still to come.

Adrian Lee produced a devastating spell of swing bowling to reduce visiting Staplegrove to 23 for 5 at a personal cost of just 6 runs. All his victims were clean bowled and he ended with his best ever bowling figures of 6 for 18

Bob Trott elected to bat and Matt Colman and Rupert Green (continuing where he left off last week) scored at a steady 4 runs an over. The lush outfield made boundary strokes difficult and the pair took their chances by turning 2′s into 3′s and 1′s into 2′s.

Colman was dropped when he had 4 and was eventually caught off skipper Bishop for 45 with the score on 110 after 85 minutes batting. Tacchi brilliantly caught Chris Close in the covers and Green fell LBW in the 33rd over. His valuable knock of 79 included 8 fours.

Wellington’s attempt to increase the scoring rate faltered as wickets fell regularly. James Dyke made 13 but Chris Rudd employed the long handle with good effect as he struck a quick 29 with 3 fours and a six to bring the home side the maximum 10 bowling points.Extras conceded 13 as the innings closed on 212 for 9

Brian Bishop, who employed 6 bowlers, finished with by far the best analysis of 12-1-50-6. Wayne Lawrence returned 10-2-56-3.

Lee’s opening 4 overs were all maidens and produced 3 wickets. Opener Templeman, who has scored heavily against Wellington in the past, left a ball that hit his off stump and Trump played on. 2 more wickets fell and after 12 overs the visitors were in complete disarray having lost 5 wickets.

Read struck 2 fours over the long on boundary before being held by skipper Bob Trott who had positioned himself in exactly the spot where the 2 previous balls were struck.

Julian Jones took an excellent catch to dismiss the aggressive looking Lawrence to give Lee his sixth wicket. Lee was rested after 9 overs and teenager Guy Murray bowled Bradner (16). Bishop and Parsons then added 43 in 14 overs as they tried to salvage additional batting points. Another change of bowling saw Chris Rudd bowl Parsons for 10 with the score at 99 for 9. Bishop struck 4 boundaries in a not out innings of 47 as Bob Trott took the last wicket with 5 overs remaining and Staplegrove reaching their 6th batting point with the score on 120.

Adrian Lee’s final figures were 12-5-18-6. Roy Hutchings took 1 x 25,Guy Murray 1x 18 Chris Rudd 1x 30 and Bob Trott 1x 14

This victory was sweet revenge for Wellington who were dismissed for 68 earlier in the season before losing by 9 wickets. They take 35 points from the match and Staplegrove 15.

Wellington need 13 points from their last fixture at Butleigh to ensure safety as 4 teams are relegated from the division at the end of the season.

Wellington conceded the league double to Staplegrove for the second successive season, but the game was not without a sliver lining for the Red and Blacks for with the 14 points they gained from the game they are now mathematically safe from relegation having opened up a 36 point gap over the Taunton based side with only one game and 35 points to play for. With Staplegrove been unable to bowl Wellington out they lost out on two crucial points.

Mark Salter opted to put the home side into bat on winning the toss and Ward and D.Penny started solidly for Staplegrove and repelled the first 23 overs that Wellington delivered before Simon Rudd got one through Ward’s defences for 39.
All the time D.Penny was getting set for a major hand and he played an almighty one as he lashed 157no in 144 balls to record the second highest ever individual score against Wellington 1st XI in league competition. Seven times he planted the ball over the boundary and by some way, so true was his hitting.His partners played around him and at tea Staplegrove had made 235-6.

John Paine with 2-51 in 12 and Simon Rudd with 2-59 in 11 were Wellington’s most successful bowlers on a day of toil.

Mark Salter and Rob Moysey added a cool and collected 47 for the first Wellington wicket before the combative W.Penny got one to jag back viciously and take Moysey’s middle peg for 19.
Mark Saunders joined his captain and made a vigorous 29 and planted leg-spinner Pantling over the fence twice in successive balls, but he was cruelly run out just when he looked set to launch into Staplgrove’s attack.

Wellington’s middle order did not really click on the day as a series of single-figure scores were recorded, although Mark Salter did continue to a fine 74 in 122 balls. Left-arm spinner Ward was easily the best of the home attack as his figures of 3-18 in 12 overs testifies.

However Simon Rudd made a late salvo with the bat for Wellington with his 21no as the Red and Blacks saw that their last two wickets were kept in tact and their Division One place for next season assured.

As for Staplegrove this was their first win since winning at Wellington on 19th June and they are still not sure of what they have to do at Chew Magna next Saturday as it has still not been confirmed if one or two teams will be relegated from Division One of the Somerset League due to the geographical anomalies in the WECCC structure.
Such seemingly poor administration can’t be good for anybody can it?

Despite Rupert Green carrying his bat for 89 Wellington 2nd XI finished 11 runs short at Weston Super Mare against Belvedere.Green struck 11 boundaries and a six in a well constructed innings in his first match for the 2nd’s since June 5th

The home side made an aggressive start with Dave Huxtable striking all the runs in an opening partnership of 32 before Julian Jones accepted a sharp chance off Phil Nicholls.The score advanced to 66 in 16 overs when Bob Trott induced Huxtable (44) to play on.

The incoming batsman Dan Gadsden really made Wellington pay for a dropped catch before he had scored. He played some glorious shots on a fast outfield as the score advanced to 159 in the 39th over. He was finally well caught at the second attempt by Barry Salter fielding at point off the bowling of Adrian Lee for 61 with all but 9 runs coming from boundaries.

The last 5 overs yielded 39 runs as Luke Stalley went for his shots to finish unbeaten on 57 as the innings closed on 199 for 6. Bob Trott held on to a good catch at deep long on and finished with 2 for 41. Adrian Lee bowled well to return 12-0-35-3. Some of the bowling was undisciplined as 15 wides were conceded

Trott and Green made a steady start and reached 61 in 15 overs before Trott was caught for 27. Salter was taken by the keeper soon after and James Dyke added a useful 22 in a stand of 36 before being bowled.

Green continued to play with assurance as the visitors lost 2 quick wickets. However he found a very capable partner in 15-year-old James Mayes making his 2nd XI debut. After a promising afternoon in the field he contributed a useful 18 in a 38 run 6th wicket partnership. However the 24 required in the last 2 overs proved too much although Green hit a six to give some hope. At the end of the innings that was in dreadful light at 8.30pm Belevere triumphed by 10 runs.

Dan Garsden bowled well to return 12-2-38-4 and Stalley proved difficult to get away in the closing overs

With 4 teams due to be relegated this season Wellington need to win their final 2 games to be reasonably sure of safety.

Wellington’s home Somerset League Division One match with Bath based side Peasedown St John ended in a five wicket defeat for the home side, but was one that saw the visitors somewhat labour towards their target and, in the end, only get there with three balls to spare as the light faded.

Wellington were asked to bat first on a pitch that was showing the effects of midweek rain, but Mark Salter and Rob Moysey added 60 for the opening wicket. Salter was slow to get going, but opened his account with a six and four off of successive balls, he progressed to a solid 22 before been third out at 62.
Moysey got away quicker, although he did slow down just prior to his dismissal which came when he tried to punch the ball over the infield, but he only succeeded in scooping it to mid-off.

Wellington rather lost track after this as the score fell from 60-0 to 77-4, but Thom Trott and Simon Rudd rescued things with a stand of exactly 50 for the fifth wicket. Trott played the anchor role for 12 and Rudd blazed a trail with 44 in 48 balls.
Both fell to part-time bowler Good who did a job for PSJ as he took 4-28 in 5 overs.

Useful runs came from the bats of Gary Tillett, Alec Short, Kevin Symons and Chris Rudd as Wellington made it to 168-9 at tea.

Peasedown – last season’s Division 2 champions – have made a good stab at their season in the higher flight and currently sit fourth. Good and Denning started circumspectly against Thom Trott and Kevin Symons who restricted them to 35 runs in 11 overs with the success coming Trott’s way as he forced Good to play on for 7.

Had a catch from PSJ’s long-serving Indian player Alhari been held before he had scored then things might have been different, but it was spilled and he went on to make 27 and add 63 with his skipper. PSJ were, however, letting the rate rise although they had plenty of wickets in hand and this got to them somewhat as Symons came back on and removed Denning for 80 and had M.Ford caught by Chris Rudd at mid-wicket.

Wellington were sure that they had got Denning earlier on caught behind when he seemed to have clearly hit the ball, but the appeal was not upheld and so he stayed.

The game got as close as the last over, but by this time PSJ only needed 3 to win and it came courtesy of a scrambled leg-bye.
A close game that probably shouldn’t have got as close as it did in the end with Wellington claiming 13 points to PSJ’s 34.

Wellington have two games to go now and next week visit Staplegrove where they will want to banish the memory of June’s home defeat.

The Sunday XI’s trip to Winscombe met a rather watery end as the game was abandoned as a draw at tea as heavy, thundery rain moved in and left the sides with no real alternative but to call a halt to proceedings.

David Derrick won the toss and asked the home side to bat and this choice paid dividends as Kevin Symons (2-41) removed openers Scanlan and Burge for ducks his first over. At 9-2 Winscombe, who play their league cricket one division above Wellington in the Somerset Division of the WECCC, were in a spot of bother, but home skipper Shepherd and long-serving 1st teamer Bailey added 117 for the third wicket to quell any hopes Wellington had of further breaking through the Winscombe line-up.

Bailey hit the ball very hard and very well as he made a fine 93.
Adrian Lee bowled well in two spells for no reward and his 8 overs cost only 25 runs. Paul Short was unlucky to go wicketless and had several useful LBW shouts turned down, but Rob Moysey rattled through Winscombe’s middle order with a spell of 4-34 in 8 overs as the home side stumbled from 126-2 to 171-7.

There was a wicket for David Derrick as well as he again justified bringing himself into the attack as Sam Cook took a good leg-side take and later he held a difficult under-edge from Moysey. Cook is keeping well currently and this releases Alec Short from these duties so as to be able to have a bowl and his leg-spin is coming back into vogue and he did a good job at the end of the innings for his team.

Lunn and Davies added an unbroken 71 for the eighth wicket to take Winscombe to 242-7 at tea, but the rain was already falling in the latter stages of their innings and during the tea break the heavens opened and the game was abandoned as a draw shortly after 5.30pm.

Matthew Colman took his aggregate score for Wellington to 183 in just 3 appearances with a fine 86 in a 107 run victory at home to Chew Magna. He followed this up with 3 slip catches as the visitors collapsed to 136 inside 36 overs

Bob Trott had no hesitation in deciding to bat on a scorching afternoon and Colman and Chris Close made slow progress especially against Bennett who conceded 10 from his first 8 overs. Wellington reached just 27 in 12 overs but gradually the opening pair increased the tempo, as the change bowlers were unable to stop the flow of runs.

Close hit 4 successive boundaries and was the dominant partner and looked well set for his first 50 of the season. However he fell just one run short, as he was LBW in the 27th over with the score on 110.

James Dyke, after being dropped early on played another crucial innings as he added 82 with Colman.He struck 4 boundaries before being caught for 37. Colman who had been in commanding form surprisingly fell in the next over 14 short of his century. His 50 came in 110 minutes and he struck 8 boundaries and an enormous six.

Some aggressive batting and running from Kevin Crout (19 not out) and Chris Rudd (16 not out) saw Wellington to their highest total for several seasons, 243 for the loss of just 4 wickets. The last 13 overs added 112 runs. Extras contributed an amazing 35

Bennett took 2 for 42 and Hurford and Phillips took one wicket each

The visitors were soon in trouble as the openers were dismissed inside 3 overs. However Joyce, fresh from his century the previous week and Hole took their chances and added a quickfire 70 in 13 overs. Hole was dropped twice before he was brilliantly caught one handed by bowler Bob Trott. His 27 included 4 boundaries and whilst he was at the crease a Chew victory seemed a possibility

Chris Rudd then took the important wicket of Joyce for 34 (5 fours) and the visitors resistance seemed doomed

However Hurford carried the attack to Wellington before he perished as he was well held at deep long on by Phil Nicholls for 31. Roy Hutchings returned to the attack and despite a further 3 catching chances being missed the lower order collapsed. Colman completed his “hat trick” of catches and Kevin Crout took a fine catch at point. 14 year old Guy Murray was rewarded when he bowled Lyons for 11. Extras contributed 16 as the innings closed on 136 in the 36th over.

Bob Trott finished with 2 for 21 and Nicholls Rudd and Murray took a wicket each. Roy Hutchings returned the best analysis of 12-3-36-5. This was the first 5-wicket haul by a Wellington 2nds bowler this season

The win brings Wellington a maximum 35 points to put them 36 points clear of Chew in the bottom half of the table.

The 1st XI’s trip to Chew Magna did not get off on the best note as all bar two of the team were late arriving due to the sheer volume of traffic that their was on the way to the outskirts of Bristol.

Wellington had little option other than to bat first, but Thom Trott did call correctly and the home side agreed to hang on until all Wellington players were ready. A wicket fell in the first over of the innings and Wellington were further checked at 44-2 when Mark Saunders feather-edged one behind for a well made 29.

Stuart Currall joined Mark Salter and they took the score to 89 before Salter too fell caught behind for a fine hand of 37. Wellington did not reach three figures until the 32nd over, but then took 116 runs from the next 13 as, initially, Currall and Thom Trott and later Simon Rudd and John Paine latterly boosted the Red and Blacks score past the 200 mark by some way.

Currall made a dashing 41 and will be disappointed to get out through the run out route having played a fine knock. Trott was somewhat slow in starting, not that a run a ball in the early part of your innings is a bad thing, but he picked up the tempo to such a degree that he put two balls so far out of the ground they were not retrieved. He made 47 in 42 balls overall.

Rudd with 16no and Paine, who has shown a real adaptability of late at the end of an innings, made 26no as Wellington finished on 217-5.

Chew Magna are a side in a false position in Division One of the Somerset League and they attacked the Wellington total with no real fuss as Kirk and R.Gatton added 63 in 17 overs before Gary Tillett struck the first blow by inducing Kirk to dolly one up to Mark Salter in the covers. Mondair, who has been a scourge to Wellington in the past couple of years, entered the fray and started slowly before launching a massive assault on the Wellington attack as he hit four big sixes to give impetus to Chew Magna’s chase.

Gatton had recovered from a slow start and was finding his bearings before Gary Tillett got through his defence with a dipper and he had gone for 49. Excell as building an innings all the time and he was looking for the time to push on, but when Simon Rudd got rid of King plumb in front of his castle Chew’s score was 186-4 and they needed 32 from 5 overs.

This was Excell’s cue to ‘go large’ and he took 15 runs from the five balls that were sent down in the 44th over to give his team a fine win with seven balls to spare and Chew Magna now have renewed home of achieving a position that is more in keeping with the quality of the players that they have.

They took 30 points to Wellington’s 14. In the end Wellington’s attack on the day did not have the penetration that was required, although all who performed with the ball did so manfully with Gary Tillett taking 2-46 in 11 overs, John Paine 1-40 in 11.5 and Simon Rudd 1-59 in 12.