Wellington scored T20 Cup success at the third time of asking this season when the 1st XI saw off fellow SCL Premier Division side Taunton Deane 2nd XI in the First Round of the Somerset Cricket Board’s Intermediate Knockout Cup at home last Wednesday evening and with it set up a home Second Round tie with another Reserve team who plays at the highest level of the County League in Shapwick and Polden 2nd XI who came through their tie with SCL Division Two side Bridgwater 3rd XI; this tie is hopefully going to be played on Wednesday 13th June.

On winning the toss Arron Campbell opted to bat first and saw Tom Chambers and Miles Cave get their side away to a great start as they added 84 in around 13 overs with Chambers cracking 53 with four fours and three sixes before he was first out bowled by Trick.

Cave carried his bat for 33no with one four, but both ran well between the wickets and this kept the scoreboard ticking over at all times.

Arron Campbell hit a four and a six in making 15 and a bright and breezy knock of 10no from Ben Evett saw that Wellington had posted 127-4 in their 20 overs as for Deane the former Wellington player Tenny Harlow with 2-19 was their best offering with the ball, although Tom Burgess let just fourteen runs go in four overs of off spin at the top of the Wellington innings.

Arron Campbell took the opening overs for Wellington as he had done in the Baker Cup at Ashbrittle two days earlier and he collected two wickets as he bowled Deane skipper Russ Jones and had Sam Burgess caught at mid-off by Tom Chambers, but from 19-2 Tenny Harlow and Jacob Arscott added 83 third wicket runs for Deane 2nd XI and in good style too with Harlow playing well to leg.

Wellington used all their bowling options and imaginatively too, but this stand had all the looks of been a match winner.

It was Will Derrick who provided Wellington’s pathway back as he bowled Harlow for 53 after Macaulay Campbell had removed Arscott to a smart Derrick catch at cover and this was the start of the Deane losing their last eight wickets for just fifteen runs to sensationally lose by ten runs.

Ian Hewson re-joined the attack and had a hand in four wickets to fall as he bowled one and had the safe hands of Jack Beal to thank for his second victim of the evening and the two run outs that he pulled off sealed the win for Wellington aligned to Macaulay Campbell’s 3-13 in three overs as he bowled straight and true; the Red and Blacks will be pleased to be able to maintain home advantage once more and will hope for another clear evening as this one was and more of the same excellent support that has been a feature of this season’s home games thus far.