Wellington Cricket Club

Wellington 1st XI made it five wins in the month of July when they finally broke their Staplegrove hoodoo and beat their local rivals for the first time in five years at this level in a rain-affected match.

On a green-topped track Wellington skipper Rob Moysey had no hesitation in asking Staplegrove to bat and the opening attack of John Paine and Thom Trott immediately got to work as they delivered an exacting spell of pace bowling.
Paine’s left-arm angle of delivery caused problems throughout and he let just nine runs go from his eight overs.
He removed the prolific Dave Penny for 15 and this was an important wicket to get as he had made four league centuries this season already.
Staplegrove consolidated with Rob Prescott’s 42 – the highest score of their innings – but the spin trick worked again for Wellington as Paul Short, Richard Das Neves and Rob Moysey ran through a team who had come into the game with the same sort of run of form as Wellington were on.
84-3 became 100-9 as Das Neves (4-33) and Moysey (3-8) spun the ball hard and far and this undid Staplegrove in a dramatic fashion.
Credit too to Paul Short who delivered 12 successive overs, taking 1-37, and laid the base for his spin colleagues to go on from.
A last wicket stand of 28 between Tom Pantling and Matt Dunn held Wellington up for a while, but Moysey ended proceedings with five balls to go.
Wellington had caught well with Alec Short taking three catches behind the stumps and the outfielding been generally of a good quality.
A break for rain had lopped ten overs off the game and consequentially Wellington had only 35 overs to make the 129 required to win.
Rob Moysey and Mark Salter added 20 at the top of the Wellington innings before Moysey was caught in the gully a he tried to cut the ball, but ended up not going through with the shot.
Salter hit a flurry of boundaries before he speared one high in the air and was caught by keeper Gareth Parsons and at 36-2 Wellington needed to reassess the situation.
Richard Das Neves and Thom Trott reacted to this in an aggressive manner as Das Neves crashed 42 in no time at all and with Trott playing the anchor role Wellington had wrested the initiative back.
Stuart Currall joined Trott, who made an excellent 43no, and they all but sealed Wellington 1st XI’s seventh win of 2005 and although two wickets were lost in getting to the required total, the maximum 35 points were obtained by the Red and Blacks, enabling them to leap frog Staplegrove in the League Standings.

The 2nd XI’s match at Staplegrove was abandoned as a draw after heavy showers and incessant drizzle when play actually took place made the playing area too wet to continue.
In what play was possible Wellington had struggled early on with the adverse conditions they encountered after Bob Trott had won the toss and opted to bowl first, but they pulled things back with a double strike with the score on 33 as Martin Short held a steepling caught and bowled chance and Chris Rudd profited when Bob Trott held onto a fierce drive, but Hallas and Trump advanced their team’s score to 61-2 in 16 overs when the match was abandoned as a draw.
Wellington 2nd XI took 14 points from this Somerset League Reserves Competition Division Two fixture.

With the main season only just over halfway done, organisation for this winters Indoor League is well under way.

Wellington Cricket Club will again be entering a team in the indoor league based at the County Ground in Taunton.
Since it’s inception 11 years ago, Wellington, along with Failand and Portbury, are the only teams to have entered every year.

The other teams competing in the league this year are, Ashbrittle, Barrington, Bridgwater, Butterleigh, Creechcombe, Failand and Portbury, Sampford Arundel A and Sampford Arundel B.
It will run on Sundays from October to April, with a seperate Knockout Cup to round things off at the end.

Wellington has also been involved in the related league played at Wellington School in recent years, though unfortunately will be unable to this coming winter. For various reasons there will be no indoor cricket run at Wellington School this year. A shame, as the Wellington team there came 2nd last year, beating eventual winners Ashbrittle once and Taunton St Andrews in both fixtures.

A most effective all-round Wellington Midweek XI performance saw a third successive win over The Journeymen was recorded by the large margin of 88 runs as the batsmen scored their runs at a good rate that was in excess of five runs per over and all the bowlers employed did their job when they were asked to join the attack.

Rupert Green opted to bat on winning the toss and he joined Richard Das Neves in a 43 runs opening stand that was posted in only eight overs. When Green was caught behind Rob Moysey joined Das Neves in adding 80 with the South African taking the lead role as he powered to a second century in three days. He hit eleven fours in his 106 as he clocked up a third century of 2005 following such knocks against Weymouth back in May and Taunton Outcasts the previous Saturday.
He is bearing down on the club’s record number of runs in a season which stands at 1536 and he is more than capable of achieving this.
Das Neves departed with the score on 163, but Julian Jones with a high-octane knock of 61no with three large sixes carried Wellington past the 200 mark.
Andy Perry weighed in with 13 at the end of a 52 run fifth wicket stand with Jones as Wellington totalled 220-5 in 40 overs at tea.
For The Journeymen only Douglas with 2-49 in 9 overs had any real luck as the home side held away in the first part of the game.

The Journeymen started well in their pursuit of 221 to win as Bloch and Dixon added 49 for the first wicket, but the introduction of Rob Moysey’s potent leg-spin accounted for Bloch as he shelled a catch to Under 13′s player Charlie Last, who held onto a firmly hit chance at mid-wicket.
This breakthrough by Wellington’s club captain signalled an alarming collapse as The Journeymen lost seven wickets for only 47 runs.
Richard Short – again bowling at good pace – castled Dixon for 13 and a great boundary catch by George Coate doubled Rob Moysey’s haul.
Gibson and Keenlyside steadied things down a little, but the guile of Richard Das Neves saw Keenlyside spear one high in the air and Julian Jones accepted an easy chance and his quicker ball accounted for Kiernan.
If that was a quicker ball dismissal of the day had to go to George Coate whose cleverly disguised slower ball totally bamboozled Gibson and he was bowled for nine.
At 102-8 The Journeymen were nearly down and out, but Hayes (35) and skipper Jarman added respectability to their innings by adding 30 for the ninth wicket, but it was Wellington’s Under 13 duo of Charlie Last and Ben Green who swept their team to victory with 2-18 and 1-12 respectively. Last bowled a good line and his medium pacers did much off the pitch and Green had the honour of taking the last wicket of the match.
Rob Moysey took a third wicket with a brutal faster ball that trapped Hayes in front.

All in all this was an excellent performance by Wellington with everybody contributing something during the game.

The Sunday XI’s scheduled Three Counties League Division One match with WECCC (Somerset Division) side Barrington was called off on the morning of the match as Barrington Court was under water after the heavy overnight rain. Both teams take nine points from the cancellation.

Wellington 1st XI smashed a couple of records last weekend, one personal and one collective, as they recorded a fourth win in row, the 2nd XI tied their match and the Sunday XI suffered a Three Counties League Division One cancellation due to the heavy rain that fell overnight.

Next Week’s Fixtures

Saturday 30th July
**1st XI** – Home to Staplegrove in a Somerset League Division One fixture **sponsored by The Cleve Hotel and Country Club** with **match ball sponsorship from Ablelec Ltd**. Meet at Pavilion by 12.45pm for a 1.45pm start.

**2nd XI** – Away to Staplegrove 2nd XI in a Somerset League Reserves Competition Division Two fixture.
Depart from Courtland Road Car Park at 1.00pm for a 2.00pm start.
Players should note that Bob Trott assumes the team captaincy for this match and next week’s game with Taunton Deane 3rd XI and any queries on this match should be addressed to Bob.

Sunday 31st July
**Sunday XI** – Away to Winscombe in a friendly fixture.
Depart from Courtland Road Car Park at 1.00pm for a 2.30pm start

Wellington 1st XI recorded their highest total in league history as they surpassed 300 for the first time in the 32 years that they have been competing in league competition.
Rob Moysey won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat on a hard, dry track that, coupled with a fast outfield, equalled excellent batting conditions.

Moysey and Mark Salter added 36 in 12 overs before Salter guided one to gully and was caught for 17. At this point Outcasts had started to rein Wellington’s run rate in, but the arrival of Richard Das Neves at the crease upped things again as Outcasts became wayward with the ball and ragged in the field. Das Neves struck an innings of supreme quality as he made 140 – the highest individual score for the Red and Blacks 1st XI – as he took only 95 balls to make this landmark score.
Striking 15 fours and four sixes he flayed the county town team’s attack to all parts and was particularly severe on the short ball as he planted it over the midwicket boundary with abandon.
He added 115 for the second wicket with skipper Moysey, who himself made a fine 60.
A 70 run stand with Thom Trott who made 30 at a run a ball further increased Wellington’s score in their favour.
Das Neves was finally out at 268-4 and he was warmly applauded as he left the field.
Stuart Currall and John Paine proved that Wellington were not finished and a quick 24 run stand made sure that Wellington were in a position to make 300 and this duly occurred with Currall and Sam Cook ensuring that this happened.
For Outcasts this was the third time they had conceded 300 this season, which must be some sort of record in itself, and they had struggled in the field with numerous catches going down. Wellington footballer Greg Jackson was their best bowler with 3-98 in 12 overs.

John Paine made a breakthrough a soon as the fourth ball of the Outcasts innings as he removed Glinn who tried to cut one that rose a little too much for this shot and Alec Short took the first of his four dismissals behind the sticks.
No further breakthrough came until the 14th over as Gilbert and Mutyambizi added 63 for the second wicket with some nice controlled play. Rob Moysey got Mutyambizi caught behind and the Wellington spin trick was in operation again. Paul Short bowled 12 overs on the reel and took 2-53, he removed Gilbert for 63 and saw Mark Salter take a great catch in the deep to see off M.Lawrence.
Hewton and Greg Jackson added 51 for the Outcasts 5th wicket and it seemed as if they would get to maximum batting points and deny Wellington valuable bonus points, but Richard Short’s debut 1st XI wicket saw Hewton edge behind for 37 and then Rob Moysey took two wickets in the last over of the game to add value to Wellington’s points haul. Warren smote the last ball of the game for four to give Outcasts full batting points, but they had been well beaten by 100 runs as Wellington took 32 points to Taunton Outcasts 15.
Wellington are now on a nice run of results and will look to make it five wins in a row next week at home to Staplegrove, but the team are aware to do this the need to turn the tide and reverse a run of five straight defeats against the Taunton based side and in fact beat them at 1st XI level for the first time since September 2000.

**Thanks go to Ablelec Ltd for their generous match ball sponsorship of this game. The club are very grateful to them for their input in this respect.**

Wellington 2nd XI returned to action after last weekend’s enforced lay off to tie their Somerset League Reserves Competition Division Two match at Wembdon.

James Dyke opted to bowl first and he was well served by the four bowlers that he used.
Gary Tillett and Chris Rudd took the new ball and reduced Wembdon to 80-4 as the home side never really got away from Wellington, that was until Gliddon with 35 and Manley with 56 added 83 for the fifth wicket. Bob Trott showed good control with 1-37 in 12 overs and Chris Kitto with 2-42 in 9 overs profited as Wellington’s attack was very much spin based. Julian Jones pulled off a stumping from the last ball of the Wembdon innings.

Rupert Green and Julian Jones gave Wellington a great start with a 59 run stand that was ended when Jones was caught for 26.
Green continued to 51 and was well supported by Gary Tillett who made a composed 16.
But at 127-5 Wellington were losing ground until Chris Rudd struck 43 well made runs that really brought the Red and Blacks back into the game as he and James Dyke (16) mounted a charge on the 183 needed, but both fell just short and it was too much to get the winning runs and the match was tied with Wembdon 2nds taking 24 points and Wellington 2nds 23.

Next Week’s Fixtures

Saturday 23rd July
**1st XI** – Home to Taunton Outcasts in a Somerset League Division One fixture **sponsored by The Cleve Hotel and Country Club** with **match ball sponsorship from Ablelec**.
Meet at Pavilion by 12.45pm for a 1.45pm start.

**2nd XI** – Away to Wembdon 2nd XI in a Somerset League Reserves Competition Division Two fixture.
Depart from Courtland Road Car Park at 12.30pm for a 2.00pm start.

Sunday 24th July
**Sunday XI** – Away to Barrington in a Three Counties League Division One fixture.
Depart from Courtland Road Car Park at 1.00pm for a 2.30pm start.

Monday 25th July
**Midweek XI** – Home to The Journeymen in a friendly fixture **sponsored by The Cleve Hotel and Country Club**.
Meet at Pavilion by 1.30pm for a 2.30pm start.
Contact Rupert Green for details of this fixture.

Wellington Sunday XI so nearly lost their nine game unbeaten run at WECCC (Somerset Division) side Street last weekend, but they held firm to end up tying what was an excellent game of cricket.

Wellington were put into bat and the way that Richard Das Neves and John Paine started augured well for another large Wellington total on a Sunday, but after a brisk start wickets tumbled despite the trueness of the surface.
Hallows with 3-41 and Hughes with 2-11, each from 8 overs, had wreaked the havoc.
Wellington’s score dwindled to 65-5 before Andy Perry and Chris Kitto started the rebuilding act.
Perry held firm and played some nice straight shots and had made it to 11 before Gerrard got one through his defences.
This brought Sam Cook and Kitto together and they added 50 sparkling runs for the seventh wicket that went a long way to rescuing Wellington’s cause.
Cook was strong on the cut and made it to a fine 28 in the end.
Kitto tucked the ball well to leg in making 47 – the highest score of the Wellington innings.
But the real impetus came from Richard Short and Adrian Lee who clubbed 34 for the ninth wicket and were the runs that salvaged Wellington’s bacon late on.

Wellington had made 203-8 in their forty overs, an excellent comeback from their earlier position.

Wellington’s reply with the ball started somewhat raggedly as J.Linter and Williamson added a cultured 56 for Street’s opening stand as they hit the short ball well.
Richard Short broke the stand at the end of his first over as Adrian Lee accepted a chance at mid-off as Williamson was dismissed.
Richard Das Neves then caught and bowled J.Linter and Wellington were back in business.
Das Neves bowled a delightful spell of off-spin as his eight overs cost just 10 runs.
He played a crucial role at a telling point in the game.
John Paine joined the attack and his left-arm angle and pace halted Street’s charge even though Hallows was building a top knock all the time he was at the crease.
At 119-7 with Paine having bagged two victims Wellington appeared set for victory, but Hughes joined Hallows and they crafted a 47 run eighth wicket stand that gave the Red and Blacks more than just a few problems, but Adrian Lee bowled Hallows for 65 as he returned to the attack to settle the nerves.
However Hughes and P.Linter had other ideas and kept Street’s candle burning as they conjured up a 28 run stand for the ninth wicket. John Paine got P.Linter caught behind courtesy of Sam Cook in the last over and it came down to Street needing two from the last ball to win.
The result was a scrambled leg-bye and a good game was left tied.

Wellington skipper David Derrick suffered a nasty injury late on in the game when he gashed the webbing between the ring finger and little finger on his left hand whilst fielding. The injury required stitches and will keep him out for 2 weeks.