Wellington Cricket Club

The SCL averages for 2009 have been released and here is a short review of how the 2nd 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.

Six players made the overall batting averages – Richard Henwood with 278 runs at 39.71, Trevor Brooks (366 at 33.27), Kevin Crout (326 at 25.08), Graham Sparks (144 at 18.00), Richard Short (151 at 15.10) and George Coate (100 at 11.11).

In the bowling averages we have five representatives – Adrian Lee (20 at 11.15), Richard Short (9 at 15.44), George Coate (11 at 18.09), Jake Nichol (11 at 30.36) and Martin Short (7 at 39.57).

It should be noted that not all teams submitted an averages return for 2009, so these statistics cannot be considered complete – Glastonbury 3rd XI and Wembdon 2nd 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.

Wellington 2nd XI’s tough season in Division One of the Somerset League’s Reserves Competition ended with a ten wicket reverse at Bridgwater last weekend as the side finished bottom of the division and are relegated to Division Two for next season.

On losing the toss Wellington were asked to bat first on a very green wicket and against a very useful Bridgwater attack I.Hewson with 6-24 in 11 overs did much damage to the Red and Blacks second string.

A spirited fourth wicket stand of 35 between Liam Kubicki (18) and skipper Richard Short (20) got Wellington from 16-3 to 51-3 with Short hitting five fours and Kubicki three as both played well, but the roof fell in on Wellington’s innings as the score dipped to 62-9 before David Derrick and Alex Troake added a spirited 15 runs for the last wicket with Derrick making only the third double figure score of the innings with 10, he was last man out in the 33rd over.

Bridgwater wasted no time in knocking off the runs with Kitch (28no) and Witts (40no) getting the home side to victory in just 10 overs.

With having to concede the match with Frome the week before Wellington 2nd XI went into this Somerset League Reserves Competition Division One match with Cheddar knowing that they are relegated and will be playing in Division Two next season, but the side gave a good account of itself before going down by 36 runs to last season’s Division Two winners.

Cheddar opted to bat first and Adrian Lee and Jake Nicol each got a wicket in their opening spell as the cloudy conditions made swing bowling a good option to practice.

George Coate got rid of D.Stacey who had made 120 in the reverse match back in June and at 51-4 Cheddar were rocking a little, but Greyshon with 62 and Russett with 26 steadied things up for them, but Wellington did not let them get away too far as Sam Murdock and George Hooper bowled their medium pacers well in the mid-innings period.

Richard Short and Alex Troake did a good job for Wellington before Adrian Lee (2-32) and Jake Nicol (3-49) claimed late wickets to leave the home side needing 181  to win.

After a wicket was lost at 13 Trevor Brooks and Kevin Crout added exactly fifty for Wellington’s second wicket and this was a good base to push on from, but when Brooks was bowled for a fine 33 the rot set in and Wellington collapsed from 63-1 to 86-6 with Crout holding firm.

He added 17 for the seventh wicket with Jake Nicol and 21 for the eighth with David Derrick, but D.Stacey with 5-41 in 12 good overs saw that Cheddar prevailed in the end despite Crout’s top innings of 64.

Sam Murdock and Alex Troake added a pleasant fifteen runs for the last Wellington wicket, but the Red and Blacks second string were all out for 144 with 4.1 overs left and took sixteen points to Cheddar’s 34.

Due to operational and logistical concerns Wellington were forced to concede their Somerset League Reserves Competition Division One match at Frome last weekend.

With a combination of factors seeing that players had other commitments on the same day and the knock-on effect of this a decision was taken midweek to have to concede the match, despite all avenues to resolve having been explored.

The effect of this is that the team loses thirty points and with it is relegated to Division Two of the SCL’s Reserves structure for next season.

Thanks go to Frome CC for their understanding and sympathetic attitude in the circumstances.