Skipper and 'Snorks' share 202 stand in victory

10:34pm Monday 4th September 2006

Somerset League Div One: Wembdon (35) 221-2 bt Ilton (12) 220 by 8 wkts

A SECOND-wicket stand of 202 between skipper Harry Lee and South African "Snorks" Spilsbury earned Wembdon an excellent home victory in their final league match on Saturday.

They needed a good points haul to make sure that there was no possibility of relegation to Division Two and the victory sealed their safety.

When Ilton decided to bat, the in-form Andrew Mason struck 3 fours in the first five balls, but the last delivery of the over found the safe hands of Lee at wide long-off.

No 3 Vickery steadied the innings with Pakistani all-rounder Shaffique and, with Rob Dickins proving rather expensive, Lee introduced himself into the attack.

He was soon among the wickets and Ilton collapsed to 150-8, but Phil Oliver and Joe Lee went on the attack and moved the score on to a useful 220 all out.

The Wembdon reply started in familiar fashion, as two wickets fell for only 19 runs. This brought the team's two leading-run scorers together, with Lee and Splisbury slowly increasing the scoring rate.

Their brilliant, double-century partnership sped Wembdon to a much-needed win with ten overs to spare. Lee was particularly impressive, with 17 fours and 2 sixes in his 112 not out, taking his aggregate runs for the season to 500.

Spilsbury supported his skipper with a chanceless, unbeaten knock of 77, including 12 fours, and took his aggregate to 731 runs in his first year with the club. He has been an inspirational player to the young side and was presented with an engraved tankard after the match.

Match and kit sponsor: Business Services (Dudley Coombs ).