Butleigh 189-8 – Wellington 193-5
Looking at the pre-match weather forecasts there should not have been much play in this match that was crucial to Butleigh’s chances of staying up, but Wellington arrived and found the covers protecting the pitch and play was able to start on time.
Rob Moysey called correctly and backed his team to chase down a total once again by asking Butleigh to bat first.
No breakthrough came early on for Wellington although Thom Trott and Kevin Symons did bowl a good line and length as Trevis and Dean repelled all that Wellington threw at them.
A reward came when Symons forced Dean to fence at a ball that was only guided to Matt Colman at slip and he took a great reaching catch.
Trott got in on the act as he yorked Hooper on his way to the excellent figures of 1-31 in 12 overs.
Trevis was all the time marshalling his team’s innings and he played the pull shot extremely well to deliveries that were really not that short.
He had made 62 when he hit Gary Tillett to Thom Trott at cover and he was out caught.
This saw Wellington apply a stranglehold on the game as Gary Tillett and Julian Smit complemented each other well with spin at one end and seam at the other.
Tillett took 2-60 in 12 overs – he showed good resilience after been hit early on during his spell.
Smit with 4-41 in 11 good quick overs was good value for his wickets, but Butleigh took 28 from the last two overs as Bartlett smashed 36 in 20 balls with three sixes.
Wellington had bowled the last few overs in sheeting rain and there had to be doubt as to whether they would be able to complete their reply.
Rob Moysey and Mark Salter duly did so and they added 26 for the opening wicket before Moysey got a decent ball from Hicks and was put LBW.
Salter was joined by Alex Sparks and they got Wellington going in the right direction with a 42 run stand. Salter played the lead role and on his departure Sparks took over. Salter made a capital 34 with two large sixes been great to watch, he was looking well set when he was stumped from left-armer Sheppherd, who was Butleigh’s best bowler on the day with 2-41 in 12 fine overs of orthodox spin.
Sparks, who has enjoyed a great first season of 1st XI cricket, made a top quality 66 as he drove and cut to excellent effect and in tandem with Matt Colman who creamed 27 in 49 balls took Wellington towards a seventh away win of the season.
Mark Saunders played the match-winning knock as he and Marc Holloway took the score to within three of the 190 required before Holloway was out bowled. The last over dawned with the scores level – one needed from six balls – four dot balls followed in the last over bowled by Durston, but Saunders calmed any Wellington nerves by cover driving the fifth ball for four and securing 33 points for the Red and Blacks to give them a guaranteed fourth place.
Butleigh took 14 points from this match and are left sweating on their status for next season as they occupy ninth place, but with Ashcott and Shapwick winning the Somerset League title for 2006, thus pipping long-time leaders Chew Magna, it could be that they get a reprieve as A&S will be duly promoted to the Somerset Division of the WECCC and Chew have signalled their intention to move into the Bristol and District Division to reduce their travelling on match days, if all this comes to pass then only one side (Peasedown St John) will be relegated to Division Two of the Somerset League – watch this space.
