At the start of June Wellington were undefeated and just three points away from the summit of the Somerset League; however as June ended they are 51 points back in fourth place in the Premier Division following a disappointing batting display against Temple Cloud given the start that openers Tom Chambers and Neil Hendy had created for their side on winning the toss and getting first use of a good track as the clear and hot weather continued.

This was the first meeting of the two sides since they exited WEPL’s Somerset Division together at the end of the 2017 season and Wellington were pleased to be able to take first dig on hard and baked wicket given the current splendid weather.

Tom Chambers and Neil Hendy had 74 on the board for Wellington first wicket in good style as Chambers made a capital 44 and Hendy a studious and composed 21 to give the Red and Blacks a real chance of making 200 and more which, given the conditions, was feasible.

But a collapse that saw all wickets lost for 79 runs as Hackett with 4-33 and Raisbeck with 3-18 built on Mortimer’s 2-9 in seven overs earlier as the early part of this period of play was in action.

Only Sam Whitefield with 14 and Jack Beal with 13 got into double figures after the openers had and this saw Wellington bundled out for 153 with 5.1 overs going unused.

Temple Cloud had lost a wicket when Curtis chopped on to his stumps off of Will Derrick with the score at 17, but Hackett and Mortimer had 46 on the board in seven overs before taking the pace off of the ball did the trick for Wellington as the Bristol based visitors tumbled to 89-5 with Arron Campbell and Sam Whitefield finding their off spin was profiting and Neil Hendy’s controlled medium pace realised 2-20 in eight overs to bring the home side back into things, but this hope was quashed when Forrest with 23no and Diaper with 39no added an unbroken 68 sixth wicket stand to see Cloud over the line by five wickets with 9.5 overs to go as they took a full 35 points and Wellington a dozen…