Cricket: Wellington 191-9 lost to Chard 194-5
Wellington are down to fifth place in the Somerset Division of the West of England Premier League following a five-wicket defeat at Chard on Saturday, writes David Derrick.
There are only seventeen points between Wellington and second-placed Yeovil, but leaders Ilminster are 25 points clear at the season’s halfway point after their win at Wembdon.
At Chard’s Dening Field, Jacob Hurry chose to bat first on winning the toss and a good opening stand of 51 in only seven overs from George Ruell and Luke Desave put them on the front foot.
Ruell hit a fluent 40 in 36 balls with eight fours while Desave made a solid 12 in 25 balls with two fours.
From a score of 72-3, Lakshan Edirisinghe and Arron Campbell added 68 for the fourth wicket to get to 140 before both were dismissed within one run of each other having made 50 and 21 respectively.
Run scoring for the rest of the Wellington innings became difficult as Chard’s spin trio of Lott, Legg and Dalwood delivered 30 overs between them for just 81 runs taking seven of the nine wickets to fall.
Brendan Poole, who is making a great impact since joining, made a well-crafted 38 not out in 53 balls with four fours as the Wellington score ended on 191-9 with Poole and George Davis adding a useful 21 unbeaten runs for the last wicket.
Chard would need to score at just under four an over to bounce back from their derby defeat by Ilminster seven days earlier.
Their reply did not start well as Davis and Toby Stirzaker removed home pair Lott and Mawdsley for ducks and, when Scott was trapped LBW by Stirzaker, the hosts were 16-3.
Yeki with 26, batting at number three, was out at 54-4 and this success for Edirisinghe was another upbeat moment for Wellington.
It was from this point that Chard started to wrest control of the game as a 105-run fifth wicket stand between keeper Sclater (78 in 98 balls with nine fours) and Evans (61 not out in 95 balls with eight fours) took their score to 159-5.
Ben Evett was pressed into action with the ball and, as he had for the 2nd XI the week before, took a wicket as his leg spin was to remove removed Sclater,
That was to be Wellington’s last success with the ball as Dalwood with a solid 15 not out at a run a ball, along with Evans, saw Chard over the line by five wickets with six overs to spare as they took a full twenty points to Wellington’s five.
Next up is the visit of leaders Ilminster on Saturday followed by the club’s Sri Lankan-themed night in the Long Hop Bar.
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