Wellington Sunday XI 306-3dec – Bagborough Sunday XI 124
An innings of awesome power and no lack of great shots was the highlight of Wellington Sunday XI’s visit to Bagborough when John Paine smashed 154no from his position at the top of the Wellington innings as the club who prop up Division Three of the Somerset League toiled on another hot day. This was the third century by a Wellington player in this fixture in three seasons – following in the footsteps of Dave Luxton in 2003 and Thom Trott in 2004.
David Derrick opted to bat on winning the toss and Thom Trott and Paine had 48 on the board in no time at all with Trott hitting a perfectly straight six, but he touched one to Hooper at gully and was gone for 14. This was off of the first ball that Springer bowled – at the end of his spell he had 1-79 in 6 overs.
Richard Das Neves joined Paine and the ball started to disappear to all parts of the ground as they added 157 for the second wicket.
Paine hit the ball hard and cleanly to such an effect that he hit nine sixes. Das Neves worked it around the park at will and made 87 when he was run out from a straight drive that Paine hit, it broke the stumps and with Das Neves having left his ground for a run the stump was pulled out of the ground as has to be done in this sort of circumstance and he had to go, but again he played with such time and composure – a pleasure to watch.
Another wicket fell soon after making Wellington 209-3, but this brought about an unbroken 97 run stand for the fourth wicket between Paine and David Derrick that saw that the 300 run mark was surpassed and with it was posted the second highest score for Wellington in friendly fixtures.
Paine made it to his maiden hundred and onwards to an eventual total of 154no. Derrick weighed in with a useful 25no with three fours as he too played a good hand. Wellington declared after 34 of their 40 overs with Paine having made the second highest individual score at both senior friendly and overall senior levels for Wellington CC.
Wellington two youngest players on the day shared the opening overs of the Bagborough innings and Grant Davey and Andy Mitchell bowled well in tandem.
Davey removed Bagborough keeper Bishop as he yorked him on leg-stump and Hooper padded up to one and was in front.
Davey took 2-17 in 5 overs.
Mitchell spurned a caught and bowled chance on the first ball of his first spell, but he passed the edge often and overall he had a good weekend with the ball.
Adrian Lee used the angles and undulations of Bagborough Park well as it seemed to suit his inswing mode of delivery.
He cleaned up Briggers for 1-16 in 5 overs.
Jason Paine bowled a better quality of bowling as his spell wore on, eventually taking 3-36 in 8 overs.
After cutting down on his pace and working on line and length he was a much better proposition.
There was a first bowl for the club for Andy Perry and his gentle off-spinners took 2-20 in 5 overs as Sam Cook pulled off a good stumping and John Paine took a one-handed catch at slip.
Richard Das Neves rounded things off for Wellington with 2-8 in 2.3 overs late on as Bagborough were dismissed for 124 in 32.3 overs to leave Wellington as winners by a margin of 182 runs.
Their best offerings with the bat were twentysomethings from each of Evans, Coulson and Springer.
