Wellington 2nd XI 300-4 – Temple Cloud 2nd XI 135
Wellington 2nd XI posted their highest ever league total as they soundly beat relegation bound Temple Cloud 2nd XI in Division Two of the Somerset League’s Reserves Competition last Saturday, thus completing the double over the runners-up from last season’s 2nd XI Division Three North-East.
James Dyke called correctly again and opted to bat on a dry, dusty track and Bob Trott and Julian Jones added an opening stand of 30 before Trott was bowled off a slight edge for eight.
Alex Sparks joined Jones and this accelerated the Wellington scoring rate. This pair added 70 with Jones latching on to the loose ball with glee and he was looking set for a big score when he bowled behind his legs for 38.
Simon Rudd then joined Sparks and they laid into the Temple Cloud attack with venom as Rudd moved from 20 to 40 in five scoring shots – all fours. He was eventually out for 59 looking for one more large shot.
Sparks continued to 79, his best Wellington score, as he played a delightful innings with 12 fours in it as he worked the ball around well as well as latching on to the loose ball.
He was out to a good catch at square leg.
Chris Rudd posted a half-century as he and Wellington skipper James Dyke added 77 for the fifth wicket – a stand that included the magical 300th run of the Wellington innings.
Rudd made 51no and Dyke 31no as Wellington closed on exactly 300-4 in 45 overs.
Withers with 2-44 was Temple Cloud’s most successful bowler on a day of toil for them.
If their time in the field was exacting, the horror show served up by the home side’s top order was worse as Adrian Lee despatched three of the top four, all bowled, with out a run between them.
Lee did much with the ball and figures of 3-9 in 6 overs are a good return for the medium-pacer.
Martin Short worked hard bowling up the hill and his 0-24 in 9 overs do not do him justice as he made many a batsman play and miss.
Simon Rudd bowled a tidy spell of medium paced swing bowling and was rewarded when he trapped Appleyard in front for ten.
Davis and Temple skipper Newmarch added some respectability to their team’s score with a stand of 35, but Chris Kitto’s teasing off-spinner accounted for Davis for 41 and he went on to take two more wickets to end up with 3-28 in 6 good overs.
Chris Rudd removed Newmarch and Stevens late on with his varied medium-pacers and it was left to David Derrick to claim a first league wicket for Wellington when Culblaith spooned one over the keeper for Alex Sparks to run back and claim a good catch.
This gave Wellington 2nd XI a massive 165 run win which ranks as the club’s second largest league win by runs.
The Red and Blacks collected 35 points to Temple Cloud’s 10.
