Frome 2nd XI 152 – Wellington 2nd XI 154-6
Wellington 2nd XI recorded the club’s first Somerset League win of the 2007 season with this Reserves Competition Division One win over Frome at Courtland Road last Saturday when the visitors inability to see out their 45 overs cost them dear as Wellington edged home with seven balls to spare.
Frome, who now prop the division up through this result, opted to bat first and a superb opening burst from Richard Henwood and Martin Short saw Frome were shackled from the off and with wickets falling as well the visitors had much to think about.
The combination of Henwood seaming the ball away and Short’s left-arm around angle proved lethal as he took 3-23 in 12 super overs – a great low catch from skipper James Dyke started things off and a consistent line and length ensured two more victims.
Wellington could not remove Frome skipper Stonell who made a capital 67 and kept his side’s innings together.
He and Frome keeper Penny with 25 added a frustrating 58 runs for the sixth wicket, but the Frome tail collapsed to 152 all out as five wickets were lost for just nine runs.
George Coate bowled well coming up the hill into a stiff breeze and 1-27 in 6 overs was his input.
Chris Rudd with 1-33 saw the overs out up the hill and Richard Henwood re-joined the attack and removed Stonell at the perfect time for Wellington.
Two run outs did the trick for Wellington to wrap things off as Adrian Lee sent in a direct hit to run out Ja Dredge.
Wellington saw their score dip to 17-2 before Julian Jones and James Dyke added 63 for the third wicket, both looked in command of the Frome attack, although off-spinner Goddard with 2-8 in 12 overs could not be got away by the Wellington line-up.
Dyke benefited from been dropped twice on his way to 41 with four fours and Jones, who was restrained early on, cracked 24 of his 31 runs towards the end of his stay at the crease as he lifted the ball out of the ground twice.
At 89-5 in 32 overs consolidation was needed and it came in the form of Richard Henwood and Dave Luxton who held firm long enough to add 35 runs for the sixth Wellington wicket.
Luxton used all his nous to repel the testing ball before hitting the bad ball on his way to 13.
Martin Short, playing as he had in defeat to Chard 2nd XI a fortnight before, played an uptempo innings that, combined with Henwood’s 27no, took Wellington 2nd XI over the line and to 35 points. Frome 2nd XI took 13 points.
Wellington 2nd XI are now seventh and will look at Saturday’s trip to play Glastonbury 3rd XI as an opportunity to push onwards and upwards.
