Wellington lost their opening WEPL Somerset Division game for a fourth successive season since their return to the Premier League system in 2013 and despite being spun out they gave North Petherton some shaky moments when they batted and had they had another forty runs to hand they may well have won.

At 2-2 and then 17-3 Wellington were in trouble, but a 44 run fourth wicket stand by captains present and past in Alex Sparks and Paul Short steadied matters with Short making a good hand of 18, but when he was one of six wickets for Petherton’s overseas player Rhoda Wellington’s innings was under pressure once more – Sparks was out for 32 just one run later and at 60-5 the Red and Blacks were fighting the odds once more.

Aks Latifi with 13 and Luke Desave with 10 added a 25 package of runs to get Wellington to 91-6, but Rhoda with 6-23 ended things with 21 overs left unused.

Luke Desave showed immense quality as a strike bowler by reducing Petherton to 50-5 as he took 4-40 in eight overs and with a run out one of the pre-season favourites were in danger of being bundled out and handing Wellington a surprise win, but Taunton Town footballers Owen and Lloyd Irish compiled a telling stand in this match once more as they added 46 for the sixth wicket and although Paul Short got Lloyd LBW for 29 a boundary from the eldest Irish brother – Lewis – saw his side to a nervy four wicket win in an innings that took just 19 overs from start to end.

Wellington collected three points.