A young Wellington Sunday XI gave a most resilient performance at WEPL (Somerset Division) side Street last weekend and, although losing by 106 runs to lose in this fixture either home or away for the first time since 2004, there was much to admire.

 

Wellington asked Street to bat first and when opener Cox was dropped in the first over Wellington had the chance to make early inroads, but Cox and K.Wall made them pay as they added 147 for Street’s first wicket.

 

Rowan Varkevisser bowled quick and deserved a wicket or two and his opening partner Jake Nicol bowled well in trying circumstances.

 

Max Capaldi bowled a fine spell of off-spin as he took 1-34 in 8 great overs and he broke the stand when he took a low caught and bowled chance to remove Cox for 66.

 

Wall was eventually run out when he slipped after been turned back whilst attempting a single.

 

Western hit the ball long and hard for a while at least until Dan Powell took a good catch to a high ball from Alex Troake who bowled his leg spin to good effect taking 1-64 in 8 overs.

 

George Hooper – on senior debut – bowled very well and worked up good pace too, a good start for the teenager.

 

J.Linter and Higgs came together at 201-3 and Wellington had restricted Street quite well at this point, but they tore away with a thunderous 95 run fourth wicket stand and this saw the Wellington heads go down a little, but they recovered well at the end.

 

Liam Kubicki kept wicket well once more.

 

Wellington lost a wicket in the second over and were keen on consolidating after this and Max Capaldi and Alex Sparks delivered in grand fashion as they added 145 for the second wicket with a marvellous stand.

 

Sparks made 84 with a flurry of fours and a six too – he timed the ball so well on a great batting surface and was out stumped trying to hit K.Wall over the top, but the job required of him was done.

 

Capaldi made a capital 51.

 

The departure of Sparks brought about a run of four wickets for one run, but David Derrick with a robust 16no and Rowan Varkevisser with a belligerent 31no saw that Wellington suffered no further loss as they added 44 runs for the sixth wicket without defeat.

 

A hard time in the field for Wellington, but one that the team did not shy away from and a top batting effort that saw that Street had to toil when they bowled and fielded.

 

The team travel to Sidmouth next weekend.