WEPL Somerset Division

Wellington 149-4 beat Taunton Deane 2nd XI 148-5 by 6 wkts

WELLINGTON are up to third after the club’s groundstaff pulled out all the stops to get the game on, writes David Derrick.

Massive thanks go to Des Campbell, Andy Campbell and Arron Campbell in the days prior to the game.

Taunton Deane 2nd XI won the toss and batted. They lost two wickets for just eight runs as the excellent Luke Desave took 4-7 in eight overs in a 38 overs per side match.

Deane were scoring slowly despite Hugh Bellamy trying to force the pace and making 62.

Ben Osborne, with 50, played a neat knock as the Deane added nearly 100 runs from the last 18 overs.

Neil Hendy let just 14 runs go from his eight overs.

Wellington’s notion of victory looked a long way off at 6-3 in two overs as Chilcott and Tom Burgess were in form with the bal.

Ben Evett and Arron Campbell took the Red and Blacks’ score up to 28 as Evett cracked 12 in 15 balls but, when he was the second Burgess wicket, it was hard again for Wellington.

However, from this point, there was no further loss as Arron Campbell and Desave joined forces to add an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 121 to take their side over the line with 3.1 overs to spare.

Campbell played a robust innings of 39no in 104 balls with two fours and a six and Desave registered a crisp 67no in 80 balls with nine fours and a six as they dominated the game.

Wellington picked up 16 points to Deane’s three and moved into their highest league position - third - since the end of the 2013 season.

WEPL Somerset Division

Wembdon 182 beat Minehead 164 by 18 runs

MINEHEAD entertained Wembdon at Luttrell Way on Saturday afternoon in another must-win game.

On the back of three days' rain, huge credit must go to head groundsman Stuart Tudball for managing to prepare a wicket on a day which saw over half the matches in the West of England Premier League cancelled or abandoned.

Underneath cloudy skies, Minehead won the toss and decided to bowl first in what certainly seemed bowler-friendly conditions. An immediate impact was made when Buchanan had danger man Jonathan Brockwell impressively caught at first slip by Ellis Taylor after the ball had deflected from the wicket-keeper's glove on the way through.

Dan Sherring soon found himself taking early wickets once again after a week's break, as he removed Tom Lott and Jack Lowe as Wembdon slipped to 40-3.

Ellis Taylor came into the attack and took a wicket in his first over thanks to a smart catch by Ali Harrison in the gully.

In the next over he nearly forced a repeat performance but Harrison was unable to hang on when overseas player Nkulueko Serame fended away from his body.

Some lusty blows ensued but Taylor had his revenge when Serame was pinned lbw for an entertaining 40 runs.

Bowditch bowled superbly once again, going for less than 25 from his 10 overs.

This time, he picked up 3-21 as he and Sherring (4-36) blew away the lower order, bowling out Wembdon for 182.

Dan Bingham was the only man in the middle order to stick around for Wembdon, scoring a workmanlike 42no from a marathon 92 deliveries.

Requiring 183 for victory, Minehead were off to a solid start as Ian Buchanan and Angus Marsh reached 34 for no wicket, until Marsh was clean bowled by Brockwell for four.

Phil Barraclough was the next man in and looked solid from the outset as he and Buchanan continued to tick the scoreboard over for the next 15 overs with no alarm.

Buchanan reached his second 50 of the season before, soon after, becoming Serame’s first victim with the score on 95.

This brought about another middle order collapse for Minehead, as the impressive off-spin of Serame accounted for Harrison, Matt Sully and Charlie Tudball, with Lott removing Dan Bowditch and Braden Taylor at the other end - seeing seven wickets fall for just 42 runs.

Barraclough stood firm despite the regular wickets falling and, eventually, found an ally in Sherring as the pair edged Minehead ever closer to the required total.

Sherring, once again, hit some lusty blows and Barraclough expertly negotiated the spin from both ends - and with eight overs remaining, Minehead required just 25 runs with two wickets remaining.

A huge moment in the game then followed, as Sherring (21) was adjudged lbw to Brockwell and, in the following over, Barraclough was caught and bowled for a fine 48 from 102 balls which saw Minehead once again fall on the wrong result in an entertaining game.

Mr & Mrs SE Man of the Match was awarded to Darren Sherring for four important wickets and valiant 21 at number 10.

Minehead travel to Yeovil next week, with a win required to avoid slipping into the relegation zone.