Wellington missed out on a very good chance to record their first WEPL Somerset Division win of the season when they lost by just eleven runs at Staplegrove last weekend having done excellently with the ball despite not been able to call on an integral part of their attack.

On winning the toss Staplegrove batted first and T.Pantling and Rowe got away well with a 44 run opening stand in eleven overs making 19 and 32 respectively.

Ian Hewson was metronomic for Wellington in his second spell in particular as he let just four runs go in his last five overs to go for 24 in 10 overs all told.

Neil Hendy was in the same fettle as Hewson as he gave nothing away taking 5-16 in 10 overs as Staplegrove’s decent start dissipated rapidly.

Fine catching assisted Hendy to achieve his haul of wickets.

Dom Drew with 1-36 in ten overs of off spin was in controlled mode and he gave way to more off spin in the form of Arron Campbell who started what was to be a great weekend with the ball for him with figures of 4-21 in 8.4 overs as catching of a high standard benefited once more.

Wellington needed 140 to win, but some debatable officiating dealt them, it is felt, three blows at varying part of their innings and these made a critical difference.

Alex Sparks with 25 and Mark Bray with a most decent 34 played well against a difficult backdrop, but, one way or another, wickets were lost and although Neil Hendy and Ian Hewson, as Wellington’s last pair, added a defiant 17 runs the game was over when Hendy was caught behind for 16 to see that the Red and Blacks took six points to Staplegrove’s sixteen.