Wellington Cricket Club

The 2nd XI could have done with some of the weather that rendered the 1st XI’s match as a draw as they slipped to an 80 run defeat at Frome and collected only eight points in the process.
With rain never far away James Dyke hoped to exploit the new ball and he asked the home side to bat first on winning the toss, although much of Frome’s innings was conducted in persistent drizzle there was never a break in play and Simpson and John Dredge weathered the opening spell from Richard Henwood and Phil Nicholls.
Nicholls was never far away in some LBW shouts, but these were all rejected.
Frome’s openers put on 81 runs before Bob Trott held on to a steepling chance from Jake Nicol’s bowling as his first overs in senior cricket were commendable as he let only 14 runs go in his five overs spell.
Trott bowled a great spell of off-spin as he let just 34 runs go in 12 overs and he saw the back of Dredge when Phil Nicholls accepted a chance at mid-on.
From then on it was hard work in the field for Wellington as only one more wicket was forthcoming as Harvey was run out.
Frome skipper Stonell and the experienced Hamblin played a fine game in the last dozen or so overs of their innings as they forced the pace of things in adding 69 runs for the fourth wicket to take from to 189-3 in 45 overs.
Wellington had shipped 46 extras which was a major part of the home side’s total.

After just one over of Wellington’s reply rain drove the players off and a total of twelve minutes were lost, on the resumption Phil Nicholls and brother Chris laid a steady platform for Wellington to go on from as they added 33 opening partnership runs in good style, this was ended when Nicholls snr drilled one to cover where Stonell was waiting.
Julian Jones joined Chris Nicholls and they got Wellington into the sixties with Jones looking like the player who was so pivotal in getting Wellington to this level and he was looking set having cover driven twice for four, but Wheeler got one through and this was the start of a Wellington batting decline.
Nicholls made a fine 46 that was the bulk of his side’s runs and he was homing in on a maiden Wellington half-century when Hamblin floated one up, it drew him forward and Penny effected the stumping.
From then on (77-4) Wellington were hoping for the heavens to open and wash the game away, but it did not happen and the Red and Blacks last six wickets were lost for a combined total of 32 runs with only Bob Trott making it to double figures as Wellington were all out for 109 in 35 overs.
The match would surely have been washed away had Wellington lasted longer, for not ten minutes after the match had concluded then the heavens opened and the ground was awash.
Frome are a vastly improved team compared to the one that lost it’s first four matches played and they are in with a shout of challenging Chard and Street for the Somerset League Reserves competition title.
As for Wellington 2nd XI they remain sixth in the table, but with Glastonbury 3rd XI having won on Saturday the match between the sides this coming Saturday at Courtland Road will be critical as there are only fifteen points between the Thorns in last place and the Red and Blacks in sixth.
Wellington need to be strong at home in order to carry through retaining their divisional status.
Rain was a major player in this division too as only two matches finished – this one and Glastonbury 3rd XI v Taunton St Andrews 3rd XI.
Bridgwater v Street was called off without a ball being bowled and the matches between Staplegrove 2nd XI and Chard 2nd XI and Taunton Deane 3rd XI and Winscombe 2nd XI were abandoned as draws.