Wellington 2nd XI put up a most spirited attempt to beat early season Somerset League Reserves Competition Division Two leaders Bridgwater 3rd XI last weekend, but fell an agonising 27 runs short of the visitors total in the end.

Bridgwater 3rd XI opted to bat first on a good looking pitch and had 50 up in 12 overs and Wellington 2nd XI were looking like having another afternoon of ball chasing as had been the case at Brent Knoll the previous week, but Chris Rudd, who has started 2004 excellently with both bat and ball, induced Wood to play on and Wellington had their breakthrough.
Rudd wheeled away for 11 overs taking 3-43 as his mixture of off-spinner and legcutters worked well for the Red and Blacks.

Roy Hutchings, in his first league appearance of the season, delivered 12 successive overs for a cost of only 25 runs. He went wicketless, but as those who were present know he deserved so much more.
Skipper Bob Trott took up the attack when Hutchings gave way and he had a successful afternoon with 3-47 in 10 overs as Wellington’s fielding backed up the bowlers efforts on what was the warmest afternoon of the season so far.

Julian Jones, who had a great game all round, effected a fine stumping off of Bob Trott and capped this with a great leg side take from Guy Murray, who bowled a great spell at the death as he claimed 3-18 in 5 overs.
Wellington would have been happy to see Bridgwater only just creep past 180 in 45 overs having been 50 odd off only 12 overs.

Wellington needed a good start as they tackled the 184 needed, but found themselves 4-2 at the end of the second over as Devitt, who took 6-25 in total, was on top form.
The repair job was done by Bob Trott and Rupert Green who added 52 for the third wicket. Having seen off the openers Trott opened his shoulders against off spinner A.Skidmore, and launched him out of the ground for a huge six, Wellington’s skipper made a defiant 25.

Green played the supporting role as he contributed 19 to Wellington’s cause, looking set when he holed out to the deep mid-wicket fielder.
This induced another mini collapse as Wellington went from 56-2 to 63-5, but Alex Sparks and Julian Jones added 65 for the sixth wicket in fine style with Jones smashing 44 with three almighty sixes as he took the attack firmly to Bridgwater. Sparks made a composed 34 that was an excellent effort by the teenager and bodes so well for the future.
As he had done the week before he worked the ball around the field, finding the gaps well and hitting boundaries when the chance presented itself.

David Derrick lashed seven in nine balls and George Coate found a boundary in his six, but the rate was always rising and was beyond Wellington as they were dismissed for 156 with 7 balls left. This was an entertaining game of cricket all round and one that was played in the right spirit. Wellington 2nd XI have performed well with the bat despite having lost the opening two games they have played in 2004, but much can be drawn from the performances that is of an encouraging nature.