Wellington 3rd XI completed a most decent season in Division Seven Red of the Somerset League with this stylish win over Stoke St Gregory who came into the game as divisional leaders, but were left two points short of their required minimum tally of 14 points from the game to stay in the lead given the SCL’s average points equation stance for 2021 ref COVID19; at it was the visitors secured just a dozen points and so lost out to Ilminster 3rd XI by 0.1 of an average point wth Wellington’s third string ending in fourth place and just 0.44 points off top spot having gained the most aggregate points of any side in the division in 2021.

Richard Henwood opted to ask the visitors to bat first on winning the toss and it was not the side’s best showing with the ball as 66 extras were conceded overall as Sollis, who has made a pile of runs in 2021, complied an eventual 89 as he added 94 for the first wicket with Morse who made 22 as the pair made Wellington’s attack toil in the warm autumn weather in front of a good numbered crowd drawn from both Clubs.

Ollie Hunt got the breakthrough when he caught and bowled Morse and the inclusion in the bowling mix of Aks Latifi’s brisk off spin took some of the Stoke middle order out as he took 3-40 in eight overs.

A 52 run fifth wicket stand between Sollis and Pitman saw that Stoke had got ten batting points and needed four more to be sure of staying top regardless of the actual result of the game; Richard Henwood put in a good shift to end with 3-41 in eight overs at the end of the Stoke innings as they got to 215-7 at tea.

James Brackenbury and Aks Latifi got Wellington off to a flyer with a 51 run opening stand that was concluded when Brackenbury was bowled for 21 by Simon Willey to end a fine debut season for Wellington.

It was then that Latifi was joined by Jacob Hurry and they proceeded to add a massive 160 for the second wicket as the game’s course was blown out of the ground as Latifi smacked 133 with 12 sixes and with Hurry’s 51no Wellington were within five runs of victory when Latifi was caught on the boundary by Howlett off of Bateson.

Hurry concluded matters with George Charles-Price for company and saw that Wellington took 32 points from the game and ended with smiles all round.