This was a crucial win for Wellington 2nd XI as they moved out of the relegation zone in Division One of the Somerset League Reserves Competition with this maximum points win over Staplegrove 2nd XI at Courtland Road as they played some of their best cricket of the season so far.
James Dyke won a crucial toss – and as was the case in the 1st XI match – had an easy decision to make in asking the visitors to take first knock.
Only four overs were possible before the rain came down, but in that time new signing Simon Russell took his debut WCC wicket as Martin Short held on to a swirling chance at point to see the back of Dunn.
The rain surprisingly relented and no overs were lost and Wellington picked up the attack again.
Richard Henwood bowled a fine spell as he took 2-18 in 10 overs of accurate medium pace – he removed Staplegrove skipper Wiltshire and then got rid of the in-form Trump with deliveries that did much off the pitch – a pitch that by now was covered in sawdust to stop the bowlers from slipping all over the place.
Simon Russell kept going in what was an impressive display as he hit the deck hard and got some good carry through to Kevin Crout behind the stumps for Wellington, he had 1-17 in 8 overs when he was withdrawn from the attack.
Martin Short and Simon Rudd gave no quarter when they replaced Henwood and Russell as figures of 2-28 in 10 overs and 3-28 in 10.2 overs respectively demonstrate.
Rudd bowled with good variation in his first match for the 2nd XI this season as his slower ball and induckers did for Staplegrove.
They were reduced to 50-6 and Wellington were hoping to be chasing a score of under 100, but Cunningham and former Wellington player Simon Salt performed a rescue act of sorts as they added 35 for the seventh wicket – this stand was developing dangerously, but Martin Short produced a wicked delivery to see the end of Cunningham for 21.
Salt was still there and he added a another good lower-order stand as he and Denovan got the Staplegrove score to 116 with Salt on 41 before Martin Short and Simon Russell combined again as they had at the top of the innings and a real dangerman had been dismissed.
Simon Rudd wrapped matters up with four balls left in the innings and Wellington had full bowling points to their credit, but knowing that Staplegrove had made more than the Red and Blacks second string would have liked, and on a wet pitch the 125 needed to win was not going to be easy to get.

Wellington slumped to 29-3 when Kevin Crout was bowled for 15 and Salt (2-27 in 12 overs) and Hardiman (1-31 in 11 overs) were doing good work for their side, but a capital performance from Chris Rudd and skipper James Dyke sealed the match for Wellington as they added 93 runs for the fourth wicket.
Rudd cracked 54 as he played with power and good timing to hit two large sixes and seven fours as well.
Dyke had a life when he was dropped at mid-off when he was in single figures, but he used this opportunity to build an innings of 40no that was a perfect foil for Rudd’s powerplay at the other end.
Accumulation was the name of Dyke’s game and he was resolute in his approach as he and Rudd batted in sunny conditions – a far cry from what had been the theme of the weather in the lead-up to the match.
Chris Rudd was caught on the boundary with three needed to ensure that Staplegrove left with a double figure points tally, but there were no further alarms for Wellington as the winning runs came up with over 10 overs to spare.
This was a pleasing result for Wellington 2nd XI, but they know that there is much to do in the next few weeks to ensure that such results and the benefits that they bring are not squandered.
Wellington 2nd XI took 35 points to Staplegrove 2nd XI’s ten.