Wellington Sunday XI kept up their own title winning ambitions in Division B of the Taunton and District Sunday League with this fine 74 run win over SCL Division Two club North Newton at home last weekend and will travel to Taunton St Andrews next weekend with a title decider of their own to contest.

North Newton asked Wellington to bat on a soft track that was still recovering from the poor weather the 1st XI had suffered from the previous day – although the weather was now warm and sunny the Newton opening attack of Sellick and Barham were hard to get away early on, but Max Capaldi and James Bath saw them off and then grew in confidence to post a 95 run opening stand for Wellington that was made in 20 overs; Bath was out caught in the deep second ball after the drinks break for 38 and with Newton getting another wicket soon after the near three figure stand was in danger of been frittered away, but James Dyke – in his last game before going back to Thailand – aided Capaldi to get the Wellington score going once more with 34 runs been added for the fourth wicket; Dyke made 13 and Capaldi was homing in on a second Sunday ton of 2010 when he was caught for a fine 83, but he had done a great job for his side.

Paul Short with 25 and Michael Gill with 28no saw that Wellington achieved full batting points and as is the case on Saturdays every point is required as the season reaches a climax; for North Newton Barham with 3-41 and White with 2-34, both from seven overs, bowled well for their side as they caught very well too and needed 210 to win after tea.

Through Broughton who played the pull shot very well indeed North Newton raced away and it took some good left arm medium pace bowling from Will Hinchcliffe (1-11  in 5 overs) to break the Newton openers up as he bowled Marchant for seven with the score on 35.

Paul Short saw the end of Broughton for 27 with his first ball as he shouldered arms to his cost as he was bowled by the Wellington skipper.

Earl with 17, Stone with 23 and Sellick with 21 all made good starts for North Newton, but none of them went on to play the telling innings that was needed; Michael Gill with 1-15 in seven and Rob Moysey with 2-19 in seven overs as well did a great restraining job on North Newton in the middle part of their innings; Paul Short claimed a second wicket and Patrick Jarman was much better in his second spell.

Sam Baycock with 3-12 delivered some nice left arm spinners and Scott Davey ended the game with the wicket of Barham as Wellington won by 74 runs with 4.2 overs left.

Taunton St Andrews will go into next Sunday’s game as divisional leaders as they beat North Curry on Sunday, but Wellington have a game in hand over the County Town club and by the time that TSA will have completed their eight match programme the Red and Blacks will still have a couple of games to play and that may be to their advantage.