Wellington 314-6 Uphill Castle 181 Wellington racked up their highest ever 1st XI team total in a league game and Alex sparks made the highest ever individual score in a league game for any side the Club has ever operated as they surged to third place in the Somerset Division of WEPL with this 133-run win over second placed Uphill Castle at home last weekend.
In front of the Club’s Past Players Association who were holding their AGM and Barbecue event Uphill Castle asked Wellington to bat first on winning the toss and when Marc Holloway was well caught at second slip it looked a good move, but any hope the side from Weston Super Mare had of exploiting this inroad was snuffed out when Charlie Davies with a fine 58 powered his way to this level with a series of blistering cover drives as he latched on to the overpitched ball.
He added 140 for the second wicket with Alex Sparks who was the star turn as he cracked 170no in 138 balls with 23 fours and two sixes – a quite brilliant show from the vice captain and one that saw him take on and win the battle with an Uphill attack that wilted in the heat.
Paul Short with 21 and Sam Murdock with 13 provided ample support and Wellington had made it to 314-6 in 50 overs at tea.
Uphill’s innings was wrapped up with nearly ten overs to go as they scored well, but were never going to truly get near the 315 they required to win.
S.Winn with 54 batted well for them, but no other player got out of the teens; Luke Desave with 3-42 in 10 overs was again pacy and accurate and Neil Hendy with 1-34 in his ten overs delivered accuracy as did Rob Moysey with 2-36 in 10 overs.
A wicket each for Paul Short and Max Capaldi aided the Red and Blacks to take 20 points from the game and restrict Uphill Castle to six and Wellington go into a home game with Ilton this weekend in good fettle and will want to overturn their opening day defeat.
Wellington 2nd XI 199-5 Horrington 187
Wellington 2nd XI made the long journey to Wells to take on Horrington in Division Three of the Somerset League and saw off a side who are in relegation danger by just twelve runs, but the 34 points they received from the game take them to fifth in the table at the half way point and that is a decent return after promotion.
Horrington asked Wellington to bat first and saw a wicket go down to the very first ball of the innings, but skipper Richard Henwood and Mark Salter steadied things down and added 38 for the second wicket before Salter was LBW for 16.
Mark Saunders – back in league cricket this season after a few years out – made a solid 27 as part of a third wicket stand of 100 that saw Wellington’s second string assume control in the game. Henwood made it to within a dozen of a ton to confirm a return to fitness and form.
Arron Campbell, Kevin Crout and Liam Kubicki all did well as Wellington got to within one run of maximum batting points at tea. For Horrington their Australian player DeLange with 3-44 in 12 overs was the pick of their attack.
Wellington were in a spot of bother when Horrington skipper Russell with 52, Fudge with 31 and DeLange with 57 all played well and at 138-1 the home side were going to win this one you would have felt, but with Arron Campbell (2-52 in 12 overs) getting rid of DeLange the collapse started.
Further wickets for Adrian Lee (3-48), Jake Nichol (1-30) and Richard Henwood (3-24) saw the home side fall away from 153-2 to be 187 all out in the last over.
Wellington 3rd XI 119 Huntspill and District 2nd XI 120-7
Wellington 3rd XI tasted defeat for the first time with this three wicket defeat at home to Huntspill and District 2nd XI in Division 9NW of the Somerset League, but the side still has a good points cushion over their nearest challengers.
Tom Hawkings and skipper Des Campbell got the Wellington innings going well with a 30 run opening stand that was ended when Campbell was trapped LBW for 22.
Hawkings made 13.
Wellington’s score dipped to 52-5 as Counsell with 3-26 in 12 overs did well with the ball for his side.
Graham Sparks with 18no, Richard Short with 22 and Ben Evett with 20 rallied Wellington’s innings so that it realised 119 in the end, but with seven overs unused this was disappointing.
Statton with 5-45 in 12 overs saw that Huntspill and District had secured full bowling points.
Macaulay Campbell and Tom Hawkings each removed one opener before Podbury with 21 played a good knock.
17 from Durkin inched H and D towards the Wellington total before the Red and Blacks fought back through Graham Sparks with 2-28 in 9 overs and Ben Evett with 3-15 in 8 and at 100-7 the game was in the balance, but James with 16no saw his side over the line and to a 34 point haul to Wellington’s 12.
Kilmington and Stourton Sunday XI 244-7 Wellington Sunday XI 246-3
A sparkling ton from skipper Charlie Davies saw his side to a fine seven wicket win at Somerset League Division One side Kilmington and Stourton last weekend when both sides prospered on a fine batting track.
K & S opted to bat first and saw Rose with 76 and Barton with 61 add 139 in 22 overs as Wellington’s attack did not penetrate the home side’s opening partnership..
Ross with 22 and Horner with 44 continued the good run scoring for the home side as wicket taking continued to be hard.
Rob Moysey with 2-29 in 8 overs was the best bowler on show on the day. Wellington’s other wicket taking bowlers were Jack Beal, Macaulay Campbell and Arron Campbell.
Wellington needed 245 to win and saw Charlie Davies and Tom Hawkings get them off to a good start with an opening stand of 53 with Hawkings making 11 before being out LBW.
Ollie Wilkins joined Davies and he made a fine 71 with some excellent late cuts on show as he used the third man area well; in the end he was stumped and had played very well indeed.
Luke Vernon gave his skipper fine support with 16, but the cornerstone of Wellington’s successful run chase was 124no from Davies as he looked in no trouble at all and won the game in the grand style with a flurry of boundaries.
Match reports David Derrick