Wellington 2nd XI travelled to Bridgwater 3rd XI at the weekend for a top of the table clash and returned victorious in what could turn out to be the crunch match of the season writes James Dyke.

After been asked to take the field Wellington struck in the very first over with the ever impressive Richard Henwood getting the batsman to fence at a ball outside off stump to be caught behind by keeper Chris Nicholls. This early success spurred the Bridgwater batsman to dig deep and a solid 2nd wicket partnership of 74 followed with Wood and Whitemore making good use of the short boundaries and fast outfield.

Once again Andrew Mitchell bowled an impeccable line and it was he that finally made the breakthrough that Wellington were looking for as he induced Whitemore into skying one to Henwood at mid on.
Veteran run scorer Kit Barrington continued the healthy run rate for Bridgwater and at 150-2 after 32 overs they must have been looking for around 250.

However the introduction of Bob Trott began to restrict the number of runs being scored and this pressure led to Bridgwater losing their 3rd wicket as he brought the crucial dismissal of Bridgwater’s best player Andy Wood, clean bowling him through the gate. With Henwood been reintroduced at the other end Bridgwater were now struggling to score at anything like the rate they had been doing mid-innings. Sensing a turn in fortune, both bowlers continued to ask questions of the Bridgwater batsmen and Henwood didn’t need asking twice when a sharp caught and bowled chance came his way.

Trott struck again 2 overs later clipping the top of off stump with a superb turning delivery to get rid of the dangerous Barrington.
Wellington continued to dominate the rest of the innings and with a run out on the last ball Bridgwater ended up with what they must have felt was a below par score of 205-9.
Trott who bowled his best spell of the season ended up with figures of 8-1-28-3 and Henwood, bowled his heart out to return excellent figures of 12-3-43-4.

Wellington’s reply was once again emphatic as the opening pair of Julian Jones and Phil Nicholls mixed sound defensive play with some ferocious strokes to build a marvellous platform for the rest of the team to build on. Jones, who was particularly savage on anything in the ‘slot’ hit 7 fours and a wonderful six over extra cover in his innings of 43 and when he was out the score was a healthy 98-1. His partner in crime – Phil Nicholls – was out 5 overs later for a cultured 38 including 8 glorious boundaries. However, Bridgwater were not about to roll over and die and some good away-swing deliveries from Skidmore sent Richard Short and James Dyke back to the pavilion in relatively close succession to leave the Red and Blacks on a precarious 133-4.

This brought Chris Nicholls and Rob Hunt to the crease and together they began to get the Wellington innings back on track.
Hunt hit 3 good fours in a useful knock of 16 until Skidmore clean bowled him with the score on 170. The maths was simple. 6 overs left, 36 runs needed. Could Wellington hold their nerve and pull off a famous victory?

With Trott departing in the 40th over Wellington found themselves needing 25 runs off 4 overs. The 41st over proved to be the crucial one for James Dyke’s men, as Nicholls and Rudd cleverly worked the ball into the gaps and Rudd hit the last ball of the over for a monster 6.

This meant that Wellington only needed 10 off the last 3 overs which, despite the loss of Rudd in the 43rd over they got with ease. Chris Nicholls remained unbeaten on 26no in his first innings for the club.
This intelligent knock under extreme pressure was the icing on the cake in what was a top performance by everyone in the team. Wellington took 34 points to Bridgwater’s 17 and now have a great chance of winning the league if they continue in the same vein.