Wellington Cricket Club

The reserve team’s Somerset League Reserves Competition Division One home match with Wembdon was called off on the morning of the match with heavy rain having made for a soft playing surface.

Further pulses of rain in the afternoon saw that this decision was the right one and both teams took 12 points from the cancellation.

A desire to play in poor weather conditions has forced the door open slightly for Wellington as they chase Butleigh in the quest to become Somerset League champions for 2008 – although this match was played out in wind, rain and poor light and eventually the match was abandoned as a draw, the 23 points that Wellington gained mean that they are 31 behind Butleigh with three matches to play each and they meet at Courtland Road this Saturday.

Butleigh are still best placed to win the title, but they have been pushed hard by Wellington, particularly in the second half of the season.

Their match with Staplegrove was washed out on Saturday without a ball being bowled.

Wellington travelled to bottom side South Petherton in the rain and were surprised to have even left Courtland Road knowing that their own 2nd XI’s match had bitten the dust earlier in the morning, but got to the South Petherton ground to find the covers on and the car park awash, but following consultation with the home side and the umpires a start was made at 2.15pm – Wellington were looking to win the toss and insert a side who looked doomed to playing Division Two cricket next season just two seasons after winning that very same division, but Paul Short called incorrectly and South Petherton inserted Wellington.

This decision brought rewards for the home side as they reduced Wellington to

31-3 in 11 overs as Mark Salter, Matt Daniel and Rob Moysey were all dismissed in this passage of play.

Rain drove the players off and 8 overs were lost, making the match an 82 overs affair, but with Wellington still able to bat for a full 45 overs.

Marc Holloway and Alex Sparks were at the crease when the players were taken off for 35 minutes.

There was no hope of a return to play – indeed both batsmen had changed out of their batting kit, but the umpires ruled that play should re-commence and it duly did at 3.40pm.

Holloway and Sparks then proceeded to add 130 glorious runs for the fourth Wellington wicket as Wellington went from being under pressure at the break to totally dominant.

Holloway hit a second league hundred for Wellington as he cracked 104 with 13 fours and Sparks was in good form too with 59 with four fours as Wellington became the dominant force in the game.

The Red and Blacks got over 200 and had secured full batting bonus points when Paul Short decided to declare with just over two overs left to bat.

Tea was taken and the South Petherton innings began at 6.15pm with a potential 39 overs left for them to make the 207 needed to win – the innings was never going to go all the way as the weather was still poor and the light was fading fast.

Walmsley with 32no and Masters with 15 got away to a bright start for the home side until Thom Trott caught Masters at long leg off of Kevin Symons with the score on 46, but there little more action as the umpires brought the players off at 7.00pm for bad light, but still the game was live technically.

A fifteen minutes break was endured before torrential rain finally washed the game away and it was officially abandoned as a draw with Wellington taking 23 points and South Petherton 21.

All is set for a battle royale at Courtland Road next Saturday – a match to savour.

Rain once again interrupted Wellington Sunday XI’s Three Counties League programme when their home match with Dorset Premier League side Weymouth was washed out last weekend after just 12 overs.

This was Alex Sparks’ side’s fifth match in the competition this season and only two have been completed with two out-and-out cancellations and this washout.

Weymouth opted to put Wellington into bat and Marc Holloway got going well by taking eight off of Jannoway’s first over as he hit 14no by the time the rain came.

Trevor Brooks – making his first Sunday appearance for Wellington – hit the ball hard on his way to 24no in good time, but the weather was always closing in and after 12 overs had been bowled the umpires took the players off and an early tea was taken, but the rain was steady and with no real chance of a resumption the match was abandoned as a draw at 4.15pm.

Both sides take 10 points.

* The previous day had allowed a club barbecue to take place and this was well attended by players, friends and associates of the club. The purpose of the exercise was so that the club could offer congratulations to Rob Moysey on his upcoming marriage to Amanda Hancock who are to be wed in the Caribbean in a fortnight’s time or so and to bid farewell to James Dyke who is taking up a new job teaching in Thailand for two years from September – he departs next weekend. Everyone present warmly applauded those concerned and wished them every success and happiness going forward. Thanks go to Duncan Short and Tony Rudd for organising the event and to Simon Rudd for cooking and serving the food.

Wellington came close to losing this Somerset League Division One match with old rivals Staplegrove at Courtland Road last Saturday, but a run out in the last over saw that Paul Short’s men made it seven home wins out of seven this season with an eight run win and in the process collected 31 points.
However with Butleigh making short work of Westlands in Yeovil the gap between the top two is 42 points and Wellington simply have to win their remaining four matches – which does include a visit from Butleigh – to have any chance of taking the SCL title for 2008.

Staplegrove won the toss and, unsurprisingly, elected to put Wellington into bat and it was slow going for the Red and Blacks to begin with as former Wellington fast bowler Simon Salt and Sizer bowled a fine line and length.
They claimed the wickets of Mark Salter and Alex Sparks before the score had reached 30.
Matt Daniel played a good knock of 23 and he was seeing off the new ball, but he was trapped right in front of all three stumps and had to go LBW.
Rob Moysey and Marc Holloway consolidated matters for the home side with knocks of 26 and 33 respectively as they ran the ball around the ground well and collected singles and two often – something that Staplegrove did not do when it came to their turn to bat and they paid a price for that.
A great injection of dynamism came from John Paine who lashed 28 in quick time and 13 from keeper Alec Short did much to get Wellington to a total that would see them offer Staplegrove a competitive total to have to chase.
With Kevin Symons still out injured and circumstances offering the facility former Somerset and Kent fast bowler Ben Trott donned Wellington colours for this match and made a telling contribution for the club for whom he played between 1991 and 1996 as he made 19no, adding 14 for the last wicket with Max Capaldi and this was the telling partnership for Wellington.
Wellington were all out for 172 with one ball left.

Penny and Sizer added 39 good runs for Staplegrove’s opening wicket before the former played on to Ben Trott.
Paul Short bowled as well as he has all season as he sent down 12 excellent overs of off-spin and claimed 4-14 in the process – poor shot selection from Sizer and Craggs gifted the Wellington skipper two of his scalps as they ballooned the ball to John Paine who took three catches on the day.
Rob Moysey was in good form with the ball too as he took 2-52 in 12 overs as Wellington’s spin options came to the fore once more.
But having reduced Staplegrove to 99-7 they suddenly re-ignited matters as T.Pantling with 57 and Rudkin with 21no added 62 for the eighth wicket and although overs were been bowled at a good rate by Wellington the runs were coming too and the last over saw 23 needed and with ten runs coming off of the first two balls Wellington were in a sticky situation, but with Pantling getting run out on the fourth ball Wellington had done enough and could be safe in the knowledge that the match had been won by 8 runs.
Next week’s visit to all-but-relegated bottom side South Petherton should be a relatively easy affair, but with only one away win all season the team will be pleased to get the game won before Butleigh visit on Saturday 16th August.

These teams served up another high-scoring affair in Division One of the Somerset League Reserves competition, but this time it was the home side who prevailed as Staplegrove gave them chance of avoiding relegation by securing a twenty run win at Manor Road last Saturday.

Richard Henwood called correctly and asked the home side to take first knock and solid contributions from Dunn (30), Bishop (56) and Trump with a powerful 97 laid the foundations for a testing Staplegrove total.

Bob Trott and Chris Rudd with three wickets each were Wellington’s most successful bowlers, taking 3-59 and 3-58 respectively.

A flurry of late wickets saw Wellington gain some useful bowling bonus points later on, but at 238-8 they knew they would have to repeat last season’s heroics if they were going to complete their second double of the season.

The Wellington reply was well structured and full batting bonus points were collected, but that one big over that was needed to really get ahead of the rate was not forthcoming.

Julian Jones with 24, Kevin Crout with 16 and James Dyke with 14 all got going, but the big innings was not quite there.

Richard Henwood stepped up to the plate and so nearly emulated Julian Jones in scoring home and away tons against the same opposition in one season for Wellington 2nd XI as he carried through to 92no with ten fours and a six.

Matt Weaver with 11 gave his skipper good support.
Bob Trott was playing very well and had made it to 33no before cramp set in and he had to retire injured.
Adrian Lee joined his skipper to see Wellington to 218-6 at the close and to eighteen good points.

Next week sees the side entertain Wembdon 2nd XI, who are vying for the title, so this will be a tough assignment for sure.