Wellington Cricket Club

The SCL averages for 2009 have been released and here is a short review of how the 1st XI performed in relation to the other Clubs who we competed against.

Qualifications adopted by the SCL are as follows – batting 6 inns min with a min average of 10.00, bowling 6 wkts min.

Max Capaldi is our highest representative in the 1st XI Division One batting statistics in attaining 21st place with 177 runs at 29.50, Alex Sparks and Rob Moysey are one and two places after Max respectivley with 403 runs at 26.87 and 294 runs at 26.73

Paul Short is our next representative with 289 runs at 20.64. Marc Holloway with 236 runs at 19.67 and Richard Henwood with 93 runs at 18.60 feature as does Mark Salter with 269 runs at 17.93

Alec Short (91 at 13.00), Adrian Lee (38 at 12.67), Thom Trott (149 at 11.46), James Brown (54 at 10.80) and last season’s overseas player Rowan Varkevisser (71 at 10.14) complete our involvement here.

Paul Short with 40 wickets at 15.13 gives him ninth place in the bowling awards with Adrian Lee (7 at 15.71) and Rowan Varkevisser (31 at 16.29) close behind.

Max Capaldi with 13 at 16.85, Rob Moysey (9 at 21.33) and James Brown (9 at 23.33) are our other representatives at this level.

It should be noted that not all teams submitted an averages return for 2009, so these statistics cannot be considered complete - Purnell 1st XI in this case.

Following the Somerset League’s AGM that was held on Monday 23rd November the following points were voted on and will impact on the Club and it’s league matches in 2010.

• Fielding Restrictions – There was a proposal to bring in a requirement for there to be four fielders present inside a fielding circle at the moment of delivery in all 1st XI Division One matches only, but this was not adopted when put to a vote.
• Overseas Player Restrictions – A proposal to limit Overseas Players to Clubs who play in Division One of the 1st XI competition was defeated.
• League Structure - A proposal to scrap the separate competition for reserve sides (which has been a feature of the League since 1974) and adopt a continuous league structure was adopted. With certain caveats this will see all teams who comprise the SCL going into a ten division format with Divisions Nine and Ten being ‘double divisions’ in that they will each have a north and south sub-division in 2011. Exact placings will be determined by the positions at the end of the 2010 season which will run in the current format. If this structure was in place for 2010 then the 1st XI would be in Division One and the 2nd XI would be in Division Eight.

DD’s annual tome of stats has been prepared.

Download this years Record Book.

1st XI – Division One

• May 1 – Belvedere (h)
• May 8 – Barrington (a)
• May 15 – North Petherton (h)
• May 22 – Westlands (h)
• May 29 – Staplegrove (a)
• June 5 – Taunton Outcasts (h)
• June 12 – Watchet (a)
• June 19 – Ashbrittle (h)
• June 26 – Purnells (a)
• July 3 – Belvedere (a)
• July 10 – Barrington (h)
• July 17 – North Petherton (a)
• July 24 – Westlands (a)
• July 31 – Staplegrove (h)
• August 7 – Taunton Outcasts (a)
• August 14 – Watchet (h)
• August 21 – Ashbrittle (a)
• August 28 – Purnells (h)

2nd XI – Reserves Competition Division Two

• May 1 – Belvedere 2 (a)
• May 8 – Langport 2 (h)
• May 15 – Wells 2 (a)
• May 22 – Temple Cloud 2 (a)
• May 29 – Winscombe 2 (h)
• June 5 – Butleigh 2 (a)
• June 12 – Wedmore 2 (h)
• June 19 – Frome 2 (a)
• June 26 – Purnells 2 (h)
• July 3 – Belvedere 2 (h)
• July 10 – Langport 2 (a)
• July 17 – Wells 2 (h)
• July 24 – Temple Cloud 2 (h)
• July 31 – Winscombe 2 (a)
• August 7 – Butleigh 2 (h)
• August 14 – Wedmore 2 (a)
• August 21 – Frome 2 (h)
• August 28 – Purnells 2 (a)

Somerset League fixtures for the 1st and 2nd XIs are awaited with the 1st XI contesting the 2010 Somerset League title with Ashbrittle, Barrington, Belvedere, North Petherton, Purnells, Staplegrove, Taunton Outcasts, Watchet and Westlands. 

The 2nd XI will contest the Somerset League Reserves Competition Division Two title with Belvedere 2nd XI, Butleigh 2nd XI, Frome 2nd XI, Langport 2nd XI, Purnells 2nd XI, Temple Cloud 2nd XI,  Wedmore 2nd XI, Wells 2nd XI and Winscombe 2nd XI.

The Sunday XI will contest Division B of the Taunton and District Sunday League with North Curry, North Newton, North Petherton and Taunton St Andrews – these fixtures are all in place and friendly matches on 30th May and 8th August will complete matters.

I have brokered a deal with a fixtures agency that will mean we will get first choice on sides touring the area in terms of fixtures for the Midweek XI – the chosen strategy here is 20/20 matches at any time of the season and all-afternoon matches from mid-July until the end of August. The team has one match so far for the 2010 season.

Please can all senior players continue to cast their votes for the two Player’s Player Awards for the 2009 season.

Please e-mail your vote – with the name of the person you are voting for and the team you are voting for as well – to Duncan.Short@towergate.co.uk by the end of the month.

Please can players start to think of their choice for Player’s Player for the 2009 season.

There are two awards – the A.W.Scott Cup for the 1st XI and the Fullstone Cup for the 2nd XI – and this is YOUR award for the playing colleague who has made the biggest impression on you over the course of the season. 

Please forward your vote to the Chairman via e-mail to Duncan.Short@towergate.co.uk as soon as possible and certainly no later than the end of September.

Please make sure your vote not only contains the name of player for who you wish to vote, but also contains the team who you are voting for – either 1st XI or 2nd XI – so that votes can be assessed and counted accurately.

This is an important award and is the one that you - the players – make the decision on, so please make sure you cast a vote.

By dismantling North Petherton for the second lowest score ever posted against the Red and Blacks, and with Ilton recording a five wicket win over Temple Cloud, Wellington has retained it’s Somerset League Division One status for next season by a nine point margin over the Bristol based side.

Paul Short opted to bat on winning the toss and a number of solid contributions with the bat got Wellington to 176 all out in the last over available to them.

Alex Sparks with 26 and Marc Holloway with 29 got going in the middle order and Mark Salter with 21 later on did good work against a North Petherton side who have had a good first season at this level after gaining promotion last season. Bishop with 3-46 in 10 overs was their best offering with the ball.

Wellington were mindful of other results and knew that Staplegrove had recorded an easy win over already-relegated North Newton and that Ilton needed around 170 to beat Temple Cloud and seal the Somerset League title for 2009.

Wellington took to the field with their own requirements in hand and simply blew North Petherton away as Rowan Varkevisser (4-5) and Adrian Lee (4-9) ran riot with no Petherton player making double figures as they just got past the lowest ever league score against Wellington 1st XI of 22 set by Kilve back in 2003.

Paul Short took a wicket in his only over and Wellington had a thumping 151 run win and 33 points to their credit and had to wait on the result from Ilton before their fate would be known – as it was Ilton won by five wickets and Wellington were safe to the tune of nine points.

Wellington are faced with a one match season scenario following this 39 run defeat at champions elect Ilton last weekend in Division One of the Somerset League when they collected eighteen points, but with Temple Cloud and Staplegrove both recording big wins Wellington find themselves in ninth spot with one round of matches left. Wellington entertain North Petherton, Temple Cloud visit Ilton and Staplegrove visit North Newton, so meaning the Red and Blacks need 35 points and for them to have the other two sides to have inferior results of their own with Cloud having an eleven point advantage and Staplegrove a two point cushion.

Ilton opted to bat first on a hard, true track and Wellington struck three early blows as Rowan Varkevisser, Paul Short and a run out reduced the home side to 38-3 in ten overs, but Oliver with 103no and Williams with 45 added impetus to Ilton’s innings despite some good spin bowling in tandem from skipper Short (1-44 in 12 overs) and Rob Moysey (4-67). Varkevisser with 1-39 in 12 overs also impressed and at the thirty over stage Ilton were on 133-4 and Wellington were in command of the situation, but Oliver launched a flurry of boundaries and 117 runs came in the last fifteen overs to dent Wellington’s hopes as Venn with 28 got in on the act too.

Wellington were faced with needing 251 to win.

Alex Sparks (24), Aks Latifi (28) and Rob Moysey with a top score on the day of 50 did great work in the middle order and the run rate was good, but wickets were lost at crucial times and this held back the innings.

Mark Salter with 37 and Alec Short with 15no added 40 for the seventh wicket and on a good pitch there was still scope for a Wellington win, but Ilton skipper Selway with 4-51 in 12 overs did a good job for his side with the ball and saw that Wellington were all out for a very creditable 211 in 41.1 overs.

Wellington won when it mattered most and this fine fifty run win over Temple Cloud in Division One of the Somerset League raised the Red and Blacks two places to seventh in the table and they now have their destiny in their own hands with two matches to go. The side hold a fifteen point advantage over Staplegrove and a three point one over Temple Cloud and a visit to champions-elect Ilton and a home match with North Petherton are the games left and there is still work to do, but the team will be in good spirit for the games ahead after this vital win.

Temple Cloud put Wellington into bat and Paul Short and Thom Trott put 34 on the board for the home side as they took advantage of some loose Cloud bowling, but the Bristol based side – who won Division Two last season – came back into the game with both openers been snared for 12 and 22 respectively.

Rob Moysey with 17 played a solid knock before S.Curtis with 2-36 in 12 overs and M.Hamblin with 5-26 in 12 set about Wellington’s middle order as only Aks Latifi with 14 made an impact and at 125-9 with seven overs to go the batting frailty that Wellington has displayed at times this season seemed to be back at the wrong time, but Mark Salter with a fine counterattacking 45no and Adrian Lee with 11no added 42 runs for the last wicket and this was more than vital! Salter hit four fours and a six in his fine innings and Lee played with freedom to take Wellington to 167-9 at tea.

Temple Cloud never truly got going as Wellington took wickets regularly as seam and spin did the job for the Red and Blacks. Rowan Varkevisser and James Brown  removed the top three Cloud batsmen in taking 2-21 and 1-26 and then spin did the trick for Wellington as Rob Moysey claimed 3-23 in 12 overs and Paul Short 4-40 in 10.2 as Temple Cloud were bundled out for 117 with over ten overs left.

Wellington caught well too and this aided matters greatly and with the 33 points gained going a long way to giving the team an excellent chance of surviving at this level which is a must.

Ilton’s 162 run win over Staplegrove will act as a warning to Wellington as they chase the safety limit of points – whatever that may be – but the team now have a great chance of safety and they must take it.

Temple Cloud face a home match with bottom side North Newton and end with a match at Ilton while Staplegrove host Purnells and visit North Newton.