Wellington Cricket Club

Wellington Sunday XI lost their first friendly match of the season when they were beaten at Dorset Premier League side Weymouth last weekend by just 30 runs, but the team put up a great show nonetheless.

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With Kevin Crout having suffered a foot injury playing for the 2nd XI the previous day the team travelled with only ten players and on a huge playing surface this was bound to count against Wellington.

David Derrick called correctly and asked Weymouth to bat first on another firm, true pitch and they were greeted by a fine spell of pace bowling from John Paine who delivered a spell of left-arm to die for as he passed the outside edge on numerous occasions. He induced Wilsden to play on and had a couple of excellent LBW shouts turned down and with the way that the ball was flying around later Paine’s figures of 1-18 in 8 overs represent an excellent return.
Weymouth meant business by playing their overseas player the Kenyan all-rounder Collins Obuya and he proceeded to make the highest individual score that Wellington have conceded in friendly fixtures as he smashed 157 with ten mighty sixes. But it could have been so different had Wellington taken one of the two chances that he gave and that were spilled.
Richard Das Neves wheeled away taking 1-40 in 8 overs as he used the full variety of his bowling style.
Thom Trott produced a peach of a ball to remove Bowden and his return of 1-51 in 8 overs does not do him justice.
George Coate kept going admirably in the face of Obuya’s onslaught and he returned the best figures of the day with 3-73.
Rob Moysey obtained good turn late on and mention must be made of Marc Holloway’s great boundary catch to finally see Obuya dismissed.
Wellington had kept going well in the hot conditions and been a man light could be proud of their efforts.

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A wicket was lost with the score on 6, but Rob Moysey and Richard Das Neves added 86 for the second wicket with a fine array of shots. Moysey anchored the innings with a solid, patient 29 that allowed Das Neves to prosper at the other end. The South African made a stylish and excellent 83 and was bearing down on a second century of the season against Weymouth when he trapped LBW by Obuya whose big turning leg-spinners were something else at times.
Thom Trott made a useful 18 and was looking set when he hit a long-hop down the throat of Dang at deep-midwicket.
Andy Perry came to the crease and played with purpose and had made 12 when that man Obuya ran him out.
Marc Holloway, on return from a broken thumb, made a fine 25 as he drove well through the covers.
The required rate was too much for Wellington and the overs available were running out as well and this left David Derrick and Adrian Lee to have some batting practice and they added 22 useful runs for the ninth wicket that saw the overs were all used up.

This was Wellington’s first defeat to Weymouth since June 2002, but the Red and Blacks gave a great account of themselves in trying circumstances.

The team travelled to and from the game in a minibus and are grateful to Andy Perry for providing the transport.

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