Wellington Cricket Club

Friday afternoon saw Wellington’s third midweek offering of the season and when they had the Foundation side at 16-4 with John Paine and guest player Robbie Rexworthy doing plenty with the ball, indeed the top three Foundation players were all out for ducks, Wellington could not have believed their luck.

But the usual order of these games was resumed through the 160 run stand for the fifth wicket that was fashioned by Shabeer and Dipanjan who made 100 and 77 respectively. Their partnership constituted a new friendly fifth wicket stand against Wellington, easily beating the 109 that was put on by Druc and Bowden for Lynton and Lynmouth in 1979.
This pair hit the ball very hard and very cleanly and one shot from Shabeer hit the football club stand roof and that is a mighty blow by any yardstick.

Still Wellington battled back to break the stand and John Paine’s 2-33 in 8 overs was a good effort in hot, tiring conditions. Rexworthy claimed the excellent figures of 5-20 in 6.1 overs as he cleaned up the tail along with Kevin Symons (2-49).

There were four dismissals for Alec Short behind the sticks as the Foundation closed on 250 all out with eleven balls to spare. Thom Trott and Josh House, another guest player, creamed a 55 run opening partnership in just 9 overs as they timed the ball excellently over the shortly cut outfield. Had they continued for any length of time then the Foundation score might have been in severe danger of been overhauled, but seamer Ritesh produced an absolute cracker to bowl Trott for 30 as he nipped it away at the last minute and with a wicket going the very next ball Wellington’s momentum had been checked.

Indeed when House was out with for an elegant, wristy 44 the score was 95-6 and Wellington had really folded quite badly. Alec Short ran the ball around well for 18, but Wellington were all but gone at 130-9 before Kevin Symons and Mark Saunders, who batted at 11 due to an injury he collected whilst fielding, lashed 62 for the last wicket as the ball disappeared to all parts of the ground.

Symons made his first half-century of the season as he made exactly 50 before he was bowled by the returning Shabeer, but not before he had matched the size of six that the Foundation side were hitting earlier on. Saunders overcame his injury to make 21no as Wellington were all out for 192 at the end of an entertaining game of cricket.

[img_assist|fid=6|thumb=1|alt=Wellington Sunday XI 245-9 - Weymouth Sunday XI 210]

The Sunday XI recorded a fantastic 35 run win over the Dorset Premier League leaders on their own patch as a really gutsy effort in the field from everybody concerned brought rewards.

Weymouth put Wellington into bat on winning the toss, which was a tad surprising when you consider that the track was white and hard. Rob Moysey and Thom Trott made the home side regret their decision as they plundered an opening stand of 149 in only 20 overs as they cut, pulled and drove with aplomb, grace and power.

But the fun was cut short when Moysey was left stranded in the middle of the pitch when a call for run was not gone through with and he had to go for a fine 72. Trott was not the same after this and he went one run later when he was caught at mid-wicket, but he too had played a fine hand of 58.

After the departure of the openers Wellington’s batting did not hit the heights again as all the other batsmen only realised 96 runs between them following the initial 149 run stand. But James Dyke, with a pugnacious 39no, gave some much needed late impetus to proceedings as Wellington made it to 245-9 by tea, still a good score, but one that was some 40 runs light of what it should have been.

Weymouth were reduced to 21-3 as the two Adrians – Lee and Hearn – did much damage. Lee took 2-18 before having to retire with a knee injury and to compound the injury situation, Rob Moysey was unable to take much of an active role in the field as he too suffered a knee injury and was replace in the field by John Paine and later Andy Perry.

Lawes and Hardy sensed that Wellington were finding it hard going in the field and they added 90 for Weymouth’s fourth wicket and they were doing this with some ease, so it came with a lot of relief that Adrian Lee made enough ground to take a good catch to see the back of Hardy for 46 as Alex Trott found his rhythm to eventually take his best Wellington figures of 3-56 in 8 overs. David Derrick took the catch that saw the back of Lawes for 51 as Trott added to his good day’s work with the ball.

Paul Short tied down the clubhouse end of the ground with some top quality off-spin that saw his go for only 19 in 8 steady overs as he had several leg before chances rejected, but he got rid of Ryall caught and bowled when he got a leading edge and only succeeded in chipping it back the length of the pitch.

Wellington’s bowling options were looking limited so David Derrick decided to press himself into action and after a poor first over he caused some problems for Weymouth with his loop and he removed Thomas as Sam Cook made a good stumping. Derrick took 1-31.

Alec Short took the ball for the last few overs after his brother had finished and he dealt the final blow to Weymouth as brother Paul took two fine catches on the long-off boundary to give Wellington a 35 run win with 4.1 overs left.

The team made the journey in a minibus and are indebted to Chris Bullock for doing the driving duties on the day.