Wellington Cricket Club

Wellington slipped to fourth in Division One of the Somerset League and are now 25 points behind leaders Taunton Outcasts as the Red and Blacks fell to a second successive defeat against a newly promoted side.

The first ever league meeting between Wellington and Ashbrittle saw last season’s Division Two champions opt to bowl first and they made quick incisions into the Wellington line up as the score fell away to 53-5 in 20 overs with Andy Hill taking 3-29 in 12 fine overs and he was supported well by his side’s other bowlers – Jack Bradbury with 4-30 wrapped up the Wellington innings.

Michael Gill with a fine 60 saw that Wellington did recover from the score on 20 overs to see that the last five wickets added 109 runs to give Wellington something to bowl at – Thom Trott with 23 and Max Capaldi with 29 added 64 for the sixth wicket, but overall Wellington’s batting had not clicked for the first time this season.

Michael Gill and Adrian Lee bowled tightly for Wellington with Gill ending his first seven overs with figures of 1-4 and five maidens, Lee did great work with 2-38 in 11 overs as Wellington had Ashbrittle at 55-3 in 20 overs.

Jack Bradbury with a good 47 saw his side were always in contention, but he was caught behind by Aks Latifi off of Paul Short (2-40 in 12 overs) on the first ball after drinks and with Max Capaldi taking 2-22 in 7 overs Wellington were back in the driving seat with Ashbrittle at 120-7 and needing around 40 in 8 overs and they did not look back from there as Alfie Venner-Woodcock and Ben Franks added an unbroken 43 eighth wicket runs to see them take the local derby by three wickets and a full bag of points.

Wellington took fifteen points and with four away matches in the next five they will have to put the hard yards in on the road as they look at get back to where they were just two games ago.