Wellington Sunday XI pulled off a sensational win at home to Mallards last weekend when a bowling performance of some quality and no little self-belief secured an unlikely five run win to keep up the team’s good record so far in 2007.
Mallards won the toss and elected to put Wellington into bat in the belief that the emerald green pitch would help the bowlers early on, but this did not work out to the case as Rob Moysey and David Marshall added 102 in 22 overs of powerful strokeplay.
Moysey hit some great shots all round the wicket as he drove the overpitched ball through the covers and pulled the short ball with awesome power at times.
Marshall was an ideal foil for Moysey as he worked the ball around well on what was a large outfield.
When they were going in full flow another huge total for Wellington on a Sunday looked likely, but a sharp catch at cover saw the end of Moysey for 53.
James Dyke joined Marshall and they took the score to 115 before Dyke was out LBW – a collapse of biblical proportions then ensued as Wellington lost nine wickets for twenty runs in what was a limp display to say the least.
Mallards had recovered excellently from the run around that they had taken before the drinks break.
Jones with 3-25 and Gardener with 4-21 did the bulk of the damage and Mallards skipper Gale with 2-0 in 1.1 overs wrapped things up as Wellington were all out for 135 in 35.1 overs, but the last wicket pair of Andy Perry and Phil Nicholls added five runs, which – in the end – made all the difference.

Wellington knew that they had to fight like cornered tigers if they were to make up for their poor batting display and they did give Mallards a few things to think about as Phil Nicholls hit his straps early on and induced Lee to edge behind where his brother Chris took an easy catch.
The first two balls of the next Nicholls over brought about two more wickets to give the fast bowler a hat-trick, the second such achievement for the club in two weeks, as he got Hutchings caught behind and then produced a peach of a yorker to get rid of Jones and there were jubilant scenes amongst the Wellington players.
Josh Hancock bowled another tidy spell of medium pace and got a wicket when Padfield looped one to Chris Nicholls who made good ground from behind the stumps and Mallards were 26-4 and in trouble.
Chris Kitto was holding his side together all the time and he was looking increasingly comfortable against Wellington’s pace attack and he and Vaughan with 18 added 49 fifth wicket runs for the visitors as Wellington’s cricket became a little tame.
Phil Nicholls managed to produce one more wicket before he ended his spell as a yorker homed in on Vaughan’s leg-stump and he was on his way back.
Nicholls took 4-43 in 8 good overs.
David Marshall had joined the attack and did not get any reward for a good spell of left-arm fast bowling as LBW shouts were not upheld.
The obdurate Whiskin kept the bowling out at one end as Kitto kept up his duel with the Wellington attack.
George Coate bowled a good spell, but a change from seam was needed and he gave way to Rob Moysey whose leg-spin hit the right line right away.
With a quicker ball getting through Kitto’s defence for a fine 65 Wellington were sensing that they could yet pull off a great victory, but Pike who managed to scythe two fours put paid to those thoughts, only for Kevin Symons to summon up three wickets in 2.1 overs after re-joining the attack having felt unwell earlier on.
Whiskin was trapped LBW, Bartlett was bowled nick and crop, Moysey slammed one into Pike’s castle as his odd stance ensured that he did not get enough in the way of the ball, so after 33 overs Mallards were 130-9 needing six to win and having one wicket and seven overs in which to achieve this, but Symons produced another perfectly straight delivery and Mallards skipper Gale was adjudged LBW to spark wild scenes of jubilation throughout the Wellington team.
Kevin Symons finished with 3-17 in 5.1 overs and Rob Moysey 2-7 in 6.

The Red and Blacks had produced a great fightback with the ball after their batting had let them down after the great start they had been given.

The two teams meet again on Thursday 5th July at Taunton Civil Service Club for a 20/20 match.