Wellington’s second weekend of pre-season practice took them to WEPL Premier Two Bristol and Somerset Division side Taunton on the Saturday and another hard and true track was served up, but neither side produced the kind of scores that you would traditionally associate with the ground used by Somerset CCC for 2nd XI cricket as the Red and Blacks lost by 88 runs in the end.

Taunton elected to bat and saw former Ashbrittle player Dan Quick and Manley add 41 good first wicket runs before Luke Desave got one through Manley’s defences for 23 on his way to good figures of 2-40 in nine overs that were delivered in two spells.

Macaulay Campbell can be pleased with his afternoon’s work as he took 1-32 in seven decent overs of medium pace as his wicket came courtesy of a smart piece of work from Kayden Hine behind the sticks as he made a leg side stumping with aplomb.

Runs came from Coburn (34) and Burke (37) as Taunton reached 194-4 with Jack Beal getting amongst the wickets took as he took 1-25 in six overs.

However three run outs befell the home side as they stuttered to 202-8 and it was only a last wicket stand from Hayes and Derben that saw that Wellington would need 5 an over to win.

Arron Campbell’s off spin was most effective as he took 2-34 in nine excellent overs when the home side was looking to push on.

However well Taunton’s last pair had done with the bat they were all over the place with the ball as Wellington racked up 20 wides before Robin Davies and Arron Campbell had got a bat on one so to speak as they added 46 first up and, at times at least, Wellington were in a position to test Taunton’s resolve as Campbell with 28, Kayden Hine with 13 and skipper Alex Sparks with 31 all made starts, but no-one developed matters as such and from 130-5 Wellington were dismissed for 137 in 31.2 overs as Cooper with 4-11 brought up his 200th wicket for his Club.