Taunton 3rd XI 221-9 – Wellington 2nd XI 222-1
The grand batting performance show was also on display at Wellington as the 2nd XI crushed Taunton 3rd XI in Division Two of the Somerset League’s Reserves competition by nine wickets to pull themselves out of the four pronged relegation zone that this division boasts.
James Dyke chose to insert the visitors on winning the toss and in hot, sunny conditions Wellington knew they would have to work hard, but their line and length in the early exchanges were not quite right and so Taunton pulled away through former Somerset player Nigel Popplewell and Dave Pattemore.
However Martin Short and Andy Mitchell provided a double breakthrough to gladden Wellington’s hearts.
Short bowled up the hill and delivered his 12 overs on the reel and figures of 1-37 are exemplary in the heat of the day.
Mitchell took 1-25 in 7 good overs, but despite the dismissal of the openers Shaikh and Hooper both hit half-centuries to bring Taunton back into the driving seat. Had they gone on then Wellington could easily have been chasing the kind of total that the 1st XI had been set, but Kevin Crout smartly stumped Shaikh for 59 off of Bob Trott and Chris Rudd bowled Hooper for 50.
Wellington then ran through the Taunton tail as six wickets fell for 31 runs with only Crossing with 35no making much impression.
Trott took 3-69 in 10 overs and Rudd 4-44 in the same number of overs as they saw that Wellington claimed some bowling points that had looked unlikely at times.
Wellington needed one or two of their top order to come off as they chased 222 to win against a relegated team who were keen to regain their top flight status sooner rather than later.
As it was the three Wellington batsmen who took to the crease all did the job as Wellington won in style with 7.3 overs to spare.
Kevin Crout carried his bat to the tune of 125no as he made a maiden Wellington century.
He played solidly and calmly and worked the ball around the ground in a composed manner throughout his innings.
Taunton came at Wellington hard early on – only to be expected – but as they were unable to gain a breakthrough their heads went down in the high heat.
Crout put on 78 with Julian Jones (22) for Wellington’s opening wicket and when he was the one Wellington casualty Richard Short added an unbroken 144 to take Wellington to an historic win. Short made a maiden league fifty in making 58no.
Wellington won with time and overs to spare and took 34 points to Taunton’s 11 and rise one place to sixth.
**The match ball for this match was kindly donated by Ablelec Ltd (01823 443875).**
