After two disappointing performances against the two teams vying with them for the Somerset League title Wellington bounced back strongly with this five wicket home win over Purnells that sees them 42 points behind Staplegrove who recorded a five wicket win over Wellington’s next opponents Belvedere and 58 behind North Petherton who won at home to Ashbrittle.

Wellington beat Paulton based side Purnells at home for the fifth successive season since they got relegated from the Somerset Division of the WEPL and did it in just 65.5 overs of action on the day as a side with a poor away record added more evidence to that.

Paul Short asked the long distance visitors to Courtland Road to bat first and was rewarded by a battering ram of a bowling performance from Luke Desave and Thom Trott as they dismantled Purnells, making them 34-4 with some excellent pace bowling backed up by some fine catching too – removing danger man Crocker first ball was a pivotal moment as Desave took 6-36 in 12 overs bowled in two spells and Trott 2-44 in 12 overs delivered in one long spell.

Gregory with 47 and Casling with 21 did their best to rally Purnells, but Neil Hendy and Ali Bunce with a wicket each saw them bundled out for 131 in 36 overs and this week the opposing tail had not wagged.

Wellington were soon into their stride as Paul Short and Neil Hendy put on 25 opening wicket runs, but there was always the threat that Jones and his medium pace posed twenty years on from his taking 9-24 at Courtland Road which are the best bowling figures ever recorded against Wellington 1st XI; this time 3-30 in 12 overs was a good effort all the same as Wellington made it to 84-4 at the half way of their innings with Paul Short making 25 and Alex Sparks a classy 39.

Charlie Davies made 16 and this brought Wellington closer to the 132 needed and they swept past the total required with Aks Latifi making 30no with seven sparking fours.

Wellington took 35 points and head to Weston Super Mare to take on relegation threatened Belvedere this weekend.