Wellington fielded a different set of players bar one compared to the previous day at WEPL Bristol and Somerset side Minehead last Sunday afternoon and saw that eighty good overs of pre-season practice was enjoyed by the Red and Blacks as they won by 98 runs.

Having opted to bat first Wellington were 16-2 as Sherring and Tudball bowled well for Minehead and gave plenty to think on, but Alex Sparks and newly arrived South African overseas player Wian Gouws added a sparkling 144 runs for the third wicket as Gouws made 75 on debut – an innings that was full of excellently timed cover shots and classy pulls and made for a good start just two days after his arrival in the UK.

After Gouws was bowled skipper Sparks made it to 98 with eight sixes as he enjoyed himself against some – at times – Minehead bowling that was wayward – he was run out going for the runs that would probably have brought up his ton, but a good piece of fielding brought about wicket.

Arron Campbell hit three sixes in making 28 and Robin Davies with 31 saw that Wellington’s middle order kicked on to a good total and with a late knock of 18 from Rob Moysey it was 281-8 at tea.

For Minehead after a good start with the ball it all became hard work and Bowditch with 2-46 returned the best figures.

Minehead were not really going to get the run rate of seven an over and more and so settled in for forty overs of batting time and it was hard work for Wellington as the only breakthrough in the first twenty overs came when Jake Nichol bowled Buchanan for 32.

Martin laboured to 21 before looping one to Robin Davies at square leg off of Luke Desave.

Godfrey with 32 started with two sixes, but then saw spin in the form of Paul Short and latterly Rob Moysey tie him down and in the end Moysey bowled him.

Minehead skipper Harrison with 55no saw that his side would lose by less than 100 runs as Arron Campbell with 2-34 kept the spin attack going for Wellington.

Next weekend takes Wellington to Devon Premier League side Exeter on Saturday 18th April and to Somerset League Division Four side Trull on Sunday 19th April.