Wellington Cricket Club

The runs flowed during the Sunday XI’s friendly match at Weymouth last weekend when the home side posted the largest total ever conceded by Wellington in a friendly match, beating by 11 runs the 321-6 that was scored by Cornish side Leedstown when Wellington toured that part of the country back in 1988.
Weymouth, the reigning Dorset Premier League champions, are renowned for producing rock hard tracks that benefit batsmen rather than bowlers and this was the case for sure as a white track with some grass and a parched outfield combined to give Wellington an afternoon of hard work having won the toss and asked the home side to take first innings.
Ryall and Jannoway with 72 and 67 respectively flayed the Wellington attack to all parts in adding 156 in under 20 overs.
Julian Smit (2-60) and Thom Trott (2-56) bowled ten overs spells that should be recognised as excellent efforts in the most trying of circumstances. The other wicket claimed by Wellington was through a Richard Short caught-and-bowled chance.
Weymouth keeper England made 118no as the home side posted 332-5 by tea.

Wellington knew that they were highly unlikely to make this sort of total, so they batted without pressure and there were some good efforts by the Red and Blacks.
Phil Nicholls and Thom Trott added a pleasant thirty for the opening wicket, but Wellington slid to 54-4 and a heavy defeat beckoned.
But Julian Smit and Marc Holloway combated the Weymouth attack and posted a fifty each. Smit pulled well on both sides of the wicket and was only out when he feather edged one to the keeper. Holloway struck some pleasant drives and his timing was good to watch.
Skipper David Derrick was responsible for seeing that his side added 63 runs whilst he was at the crease as he made a fine 31 with some nicely struck boundaries from both cut and drive shots. He once lifted the ball out of the ground completely.
Richard Short and George Coate added exactly fifty for the last Wellington wicket as Short cracked three sixes in a great show of batting late on for his side – he was unbeaten on 38 at stumps. Coate made a useful 15no.
Wellington were 81 short of the Weymouth total, but can be proud of their efforts with the bat after a hard time with the ball.

The team travelled to and from the fixture in a minibus and grateful thanks are extended to Andy Perry for overseeing this side of the day.
An excellent carvery lunch was enjoyed by the team and travelling support before the match and grateful thanks are extended to George Coate for his organisation of this aspect of the day.

Chew had lost only once in thirteen previous matches this season, including a five wicket success at Wellington back in June, but they were squeezed out by one wicket in the last over by the Red and Blacks who never gave up in their fight to get to the 232 required.
Chew were put into bat and Kind and Witcombe laid a good platform for the home side with a stand of 43 in under 10 overs that was broken when Alex Sparks accepted a sharp low chance from Thom Trott.
Beedell joined Witcombe and the score rose to 60-1 before Chew lost three wickets for one run – Trott (3-37) saw more good catching assisting him as Mark Salter and Trott himself got in on the act. Kevin Symons (1-44) removed real dangerman Mondair, who has a good record against Wellington down the years, for a duck and at 61-4 Chew Magna were rocking.
However Witcombe was still there and his adhesive qualities were needed by the home side and his 62 kept them from going under.
He added 84 fifth wicket runs with Ogborne (39) and despite Chew going from 145-4 to 151-6 they were not finished as Filer with 48 saw them past the 200 run mark.
Wellington let too many runs go late on despite Julian Smit picking up 4-43 and Gary Tillett 1-69.

Wellington were aided in their chase on the 232 required by Rob Moysey and Mark Salter adding 96 for the first wicket, they looked in little bother for the 21 overs it took to make these runs against a Chew attack that was shorn of it’s two main opening bowlers through injury and holiday.
Moysey had made 36 when he picked out the deep mid-wicket fielder and Wellington’s skipper had gone.
Mark Salter kept going despite three further wickets going down by the time the score had reached 134.
Salter made a fine 69 that saw him play excellently all round the wicket and he kept Wellington’s early momentum going.
But at 134-4 in 31 overs Wellington still had to make some ground up and the assault on the 90-odd needed was started by Mark Saunders and Marc Holloway who added a match saving 70 for the fifth wicket with Saunders (41) lifting the ball out of the ground three times. Holloway did likewise once in his knock of 34.
It looked like a Wellington win was secure when these two were together, but Saunders found long-on and Holloway was stumped down the leg side and all of a sudden Chew Magna were back in with a shout.
Sam Cook lashed his first ball for four, but was caught behind two balls later, Kevin Symons absolutely smashed his first ball to the deep backward square region and was looking for a boundary, but was out to a quite astonishing catch by Gatton who made an immense amount of ground.
This brought the equation down to thirteen in four overs, but the drama was not over just yet as Thom Trott arrived at the wicket with a runner due to cramp having set in and he was run out when he found himself out of his ground.
So Tom Carson and Gary Tillett had to do the job for Wellington and it could be said that Carson’s slog-sweep for six from his second ball was the difference between Wellington winning and losing.
Tillett pinched a single and Carson’s with a cheeky parry over the keeper for two with four balls to spare won the match for Wellington and gave them 34 points to Chew Magna’s 19.
Chew stay top, but their advantage over Ashcott and Shapwick is dented by this result.

Chew Magna, regular opponents of Wellington’s down the years, will be leaving the Somerset League at the end of the 2006 season whatever their final position is and will be going into the WECCC based Bristol and District League for 2007, a decision based on logistical considerations. But it is Wellington’s intention to retain playing relations with the Chew club by transferring the match-up to a Sunday fixture or fixtures.

The run that had realised seven wins in a row for Wellington 2nd XI in Division Two of the Somerset League’s Reserves competition came to an abrupt halt on Saturday when visiting Chew Magna 2nd XI completed the double over the Red and Blacks with this 53 run win and with the defeat Wellington 2nd XI lost their grip on second place in the table, dropping one place.

Chew Magna were late arriving due to travel reasons and had to bat first on winning the toss and this seemed to benefit Wellington as the visitors subsided to 65-6.
Richard Henwood, who has been such a revelation since joining the club back in June, removed ex 1st XI player Gatton for a duck and Martin Short again delivered his 12 overs on the reel and with figures of 2-28 not only did the stock bowler’s job, but was penetrative as well.
They gave way to Andy Mitchell and Dave Hewitt and the wickets continued to come, one for Mitchell and two for Hewitt, but Wellington did not kill Chew Magna off when they had the chance to as Smith (43) and Kirk (39) added 91 decisive seventh wicket runs.
Bob Trott eventually cleaned them up through a couple of Julian Jones stumpings and Chew’s tail folded to the extent of 164 all out.

Wellington 2nd XI had got to where they had so far this season through patient and solid batting, but on this occasion the solidity was not there and wickets fell too often for a partnership of substance to be built.
Phil Nicholls again did good work in his opening role and 26 was his contribution, but Chris Rudd’s 31 and Dave Hewitt’s 18 apart there were no other double figure offerings.
Chew took wickets steadily and were always chipping away to bring about their ninth win of the season – the same number as Wellington.
To compound Wellington’s misery both Bridgwater 3rd XI and Butleigh 2nd XI both won on Saturday to claim the two promotion spots.
Wellington 2nd XI know they need to be better at home to Wembdon 2nd XI on Saturday if they are to get back into the promotion places.

Wellington 2nd XI took 15 points to Chew Magna 2nd XI’s 33.

The match ball for this fixture was sponsored by Wade & Perry (01823 480268). The club are very grateful to them for their support in this respect.