Wellington CC boosted their hopes of a runners-up finish with a 94-run home win over Frome in the West of England Premier League’s Somerset Division on Saturday, writes David Derrick.
Playing on as dry, dusty and cracked surface at the Lloyd and Whyte Ground, Frome chose to bowl first and the Red and Blacks found themselves at 12-2.
The hosts got back on track through a third-wicket stand between Oz O’Livey and Lakshan Edirisinghe (pictured above) who boosted the score to 62-3 courtesy of O’Livey’s watchful 16 in 32 balls with one four and another classy half-century from Edirisinghe who made exactly 50 in 66 balls with eight fours.
When Sam Whitefield was out for 39 with the score at 151, Oli Beale, there were useful contributions down the order Wellington to a final total of 206-9 in 50 overs against a backdrop of Frome’s solid bowling effort which saw Matthew Lavender lead the attack with 3-40 in ten overs, supported by 2-30 in ten overs by Mark Watts.
Looking at the surface on offer to support Wellington’s bowling efforts it was clear that spin was the key and so Arron Campbell’s off spin was employed first up.
This tactic worked early on as opener Joe Welch edged behind to Jacob Hurry to make Frome 1-1.
The efforts with the bat of Jonathan Dredge, Donald Corbett and Luke Padgett – worth 21, 41 and 35 respectively – lifted the visiting side’s score to 76-4 in a flurry of boundaries, but also a flurry of wickets saw Frome collapse to 112 all out in just 27.3 overs.
Campbell took a fine 3-26 in ten overs, complimented by Edirisinghe’s 4-21 in eight overs, and, with Toby Stirzaker and Oli Beale chipping in with a wicket each, the Somerset League winners from 2025 were well beaten
Wellington collected 20 points for the ninth time this season and face Wembdon away on Saturday before completing their season at home to Chard the following weekend.
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