WEPL Somerset Division

Wembdon 129-9 beat Wellington 125 by 1 wkt

WEMBDON hosted Wellington on Saturday with the sun shining at long last.

Wellington decided to bat first and Sam Whitefield and Neil Hendy made a strong start until the opening stand of 42 was broken in the 12th over, when a Tom Lott leg-break trapped Hendy (14) lbw.

With pace off the ball appearing to be more effective, Wembdon introduced the economical Dan Bingham.

Lott was struggling with his rhythm but did claim a second wicket as Jack Beal (18) was caught in the deep by Mike Watts.

Nkululeko Serame replaced Lott from the pavilion end with the score 94-2.

The runs dried up for Wellington and, as the pressure mounted, wickets tumbled.

Serame got the breakthrough, trapping captain Arron Campbell (20) lbw and accounting for Ben Evett lbw in the next over.

Bingham then removed Whitefield caught and bowled for a watchful 34.

Bingham then beat the edge of an off-balance Aks Latifi and Liam Pigden whipped the bails off, stumping Latifi for a golden duck.

Serame returned to take a further three wickets in as many overs, clean bowling Desave, Wilkins and Derrick.

Bingham finished with 2-23 from 10 and was replaced by death bowler Mike Watts, who delivered, clean bowling Cave with his fifth delivery.

Serame wrapped up the innings to end with fine figures of 5-11 from 8.2 overs as Wellington slumped from 104-2 to 125 all out.

The Wembdon response started with a few boundaries but Lott (9) fell early as Beal struck his pads in the second over.

A 42-run partnership between Jack Lowe and Jon Brockwell moved Wembdon on to 55 in the 14th over.

Hendy then bowled Lowe (20) and followed up with a sublime one-handed catch off his own bowling to remove Serame (6).

Desave returned for his second spell and bowled Curd but, with the score 95-4 and 30 runs needed, Wembdon were still favourites.

But Hendy trapped Bingham lbw, bowled Watts and forced a run-out as Pigden departed.

When Brockwell, who had just brought up his half-century, edged to point Wembdon were 109-8.

James Annison’s departure left Wembdon 113-9, still requiring 13 more for victory as Pete Gliddon strode to the crease at number 11.

Max Sellick and Gliddon kept the score moving, helped by Desave’s ball down the leg side which reached the boundary, conceding five.

In the 35th over, with the scores tied, Gliddon seized on a wide delivery and cut it in front of point for four to seal a one-wicket victory.

Thanks to match sponsors Dave Kirk & friends, E18hteen Gin and all guests who attended the club sponsors day.

Wembdon travel to Street on Saturday.

****

WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset

Shapwick & Polden 194-9 beat Weston-s-Mare 159 by 35 runs

FOLLOWING last week’s abandonment, Shapwick & Polden travelled to Weston in a must-win encounter and recorded their first victory of the season at the seventh time of asking.

Shapwick skipper Stephen Tinnion’s decision to bat looked a good one as openers Sam Edmunds (60) and James Venkatrao (39) progressed at a steady rate, despite some aggressive bowling from Peter Trego (2-24).

Both openers took on the short ball and found success, until Venkatrao’s top edge was found by Trego and he was well caught at deep backward square.

A mini-collapse followed and, despite Tinnion (20) showing his natural aggression, he departed along with Edmunds, Wayne Spencer and John Stratton.

Ben Rudge (22) and Steve Coppell (18) ground Shapwick up to 194-9, a competitive score, but certainly 40 less than were expected at the halfway stage.

Opening bowlers Sean Stringer and Coppell struggled with consistency and Tinnion juggled his attack, but to little success as Weston added 66 for the first wicket.

The introduction of Oskar White then changed the game. He quickly had Press caught by ‘keeper Spencer and a beauty through the gate of Harris reduced Weston to 64-2.

With Trego at the crease, Woolway (0-27) bowled beautifully without reward but the pressure told when Trego advanced to White and was clean bowled for 11.

The required rate began to climb and Kearsey (10) could only find Edmunds on the boundary off White, who finished with 4-26 off 10.

Joe Mason (3-19) kept up the pressure in tandem with Rudge (1-28), who had home skipper Davidson (14) well caught by Coppell.

Tinnion, Rudge and White all took excellent catches and it was left to Coppell (2-27) to complete the comeback and hand Shapwick their first win of the league season.

****

ON Sunday, Shapwick & Polden hosted Bridgwater and Taunton Deane in the National T20.

Shapwick batted first against Bridgwater, with Tinnion (53) and Edmunds (43) adding 104 inside 12 overs.

Both fell in quick succession and what looked to be 200+ become 167-6.

Two missed opportunities off Calum Haggett (49) and Jason Oakes (43*) proved crucial as Bridgwater got home in the 17th over.

Shapwick then came up 35 runs short against the Deane despite good performances by White (4-15) and Rudge (57).

****

WEPL Somerset Division

Street 89-9 beat North Petherton 88 by 1 wkt

NORTH Petherton saw victory slip from their grasp in a low-scoring game at home to Street on Saturday.

Having been put in to bat, Pethy lost skipper Harry Bowditch early before Lewis Knight and Ali Zaryab Asif began to rebuild.

They made 17 and 18 respectively and Ben Meek chipped in with 20 but the middle and lower order were torn apart by Street bowler Daniel Lake.

Lake finished with remarkable figures of 8-18 from 9.5 overs as Pethy slumped to 88 all out in the 29th over.

That score looked more than defendable, however, when Pethy reduced their visitors to 2-2 after both openers fell without scoring.

Lewis Knight, who removed one of them, took another wicket in a miserly spell of 2-12 from 10 overs before Meek (2-14 from 10) and Asif (3-16 from 10) helped reduce Street to 48-8.

Then came the crucial partnership, as Mike King and Mark Evely came together to inch Street towards their target.

Evely was trapped in front by Bowditch (1-12 from 2.4) but King stayed unbeaten on 27 to lead his side home with 3.2 overs to spare.

The defeat sees North Petherton drop to the foot of the Somerset Division table ahead of this Saturday’s trip to mid-table Wellington.