WELLINGTON will be back in the West of England Premier League in 2019 following confirmation of their having achieved third place in the Premier Division of the Somerset League, writes David Derrick.

WEPL, due to its structural requirements for 2019, needs to receive three teams from the SCL, which means Taunton Deane 2nd XI, Street and the Red & Blacks will be at this level next season.

Wellington were already well placed to get third having beaten Street the previous week and knew that any sort of win over Temple Cloud combined with 10 bonus points of some sort would secure their return to WEPL after a season away.

With a bus load of support to egg them on, Arron Campbell opted to bat first at what is usually a high scoring ground near Bristol, but the team found the early exchanges tough as the score was 55 when the fourth wicket was lost.

The telling stand came from Mark Bray and Aks Latifi, who added 102 fine runs for the fifth wicket as Bray made 58 with seven fours in 71 balls and Latifi 62 with seven fours and two sixes at a run a ball.

This dented the Temple momentum and saw it shift towards Wellington as the lower order carried things through with Ben Evett’s 16 and Jack Beal’s 17 adding vital late runs to see that Wellington had posted 234 all out.

Temple were rushed out in 30.2 overs as they scored at pace, but were always losing wickets as only Mahoney with 44 really made an innings of substance.

Will Derrick (4-45) and Neil Hendy (3-26) were Wellington’s main bowling stars on the day and, with wickets for Luke Desave and Arron Campbell backing these efforts up, it was a Wellington win by 71 runs and a regaining of a place in WEPL.

The team valued the great support that was on offer on the day and say a big thank you to all those who have followed the side home and away in 2018.

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TAUNTON Deane 2nds wrapped up the Shrubbery Hotel Somerset League Premier Division title over the weekend.

The points which sealed the triumph arrived in somewhat anti-climactic fashion - Temple Cloud failed to raise a side for Sunday’s re-arranged match between the two teams.

The Deane therefore finished 12 points ahead of Street, who beat the title winners by seven wickets on Saturday after the visitors had been bowled out for 163 - Tenessee Harlow top-scored with 45.

Wellington secured the third promotion spot (see right) ahead of Taunton St Andrew’s 2nds, who finished fourth and rounded off their campaign with a 36-run win at Middlezoy.

Number seven Josh Clatworthy fired 114 in a Saints innings of 236 in which the next best score was 17 - Ben Walford then took 3-26 to help dismiss Zoy for 200.

A batting collapse cost Taunton 2nds as they were beaten by six wickets at home to Bridgwater 3rds in Division 2.

Simon Manley (52) and Max Toohey (41) added 101 for the opening wicket, but only one other batsman reached double figures as the hosts subsided to 155 all out.

Dominic Court’s 66 helped Bridgwater ease home in the 36th over.

Trull completed a remarkable unbeaten season with a thumping 106-run win over Lympsham & Belvedere in Division 3.

Andy Sapey’s 42 was the best effort in Trull’s 175-7 before Greg Waters took 6-5 in five overs to skittle the visitors for 69.

It was Trull’s 17th win in 18 matches, with the other rained off part-way through - they finished 114 points clear of their nearest challengers.

Huish & Langport, by contrast, finished rock bottom and were well beaten by promoted Ilminster 2nds on the final weekend.

Terry Crocker made 38 but Huish were bowled out for 122, which Ilminster passed after 19 overs with nine wickets to spare.

Watchet were beaten by 39 runs at Wembdon 2nds despite a fine 60 from Peter Manley.

In Division 5, Matthew Dunn carried his bat for an unbeaten century - but still finished on the losing side for Staplegrove 2nds.

Grove finished on 244, Dunn ending with 121 not out, but Chris Barnes (65*) and Peter Barnes (95) set Lydford on their way to an eight-wicket win.

Taunton St Andrew’s A beat Yeovil 2nds by 57 runs but ended up outside the promotion spots, just one point behind their opponents.

Skipper Jordan Clapp hit 49 to set Saints on their way to 187, and Charlie Williams then took 4-17 as Yeovil were bowled out for 130.

Taunton Deane 3rds followed their second team counterparts in winning the league, securing the Division 6S title with a nine-wicket rout of Long Sutton 2nds.

Nick Phillips and Shayaan Akhtar each made unbeaten half-centuries after Jonathan Oliver had taken 4-26 with the ball.

Trull 2nds completed a memorable season for the club by defeating Curry Rivel to secure promotion from Division 6S.

Olly Barrett’s fine 82 and Aaron Lake’s unbeaten 60 helped Trull rack up 274-6, and Curry Rivel were limited to 169-5 in response.

At the other end of the table, Taunton 3rds pulled off a great escape as they climbed out of the relegation zone with a final day win at Sparkford.

Garic Howles (3-30) and Harry Green (3-11) helped dismiss the visitors for 189 and opener Alistair Hallows anchored the chase with an unbeaten 58 as Taunton won by six wickets.

Taunton St Andrew’s A edged out Taunton Deane 4ths for the second promotion spot in Division 7S by just five points after both won on Saturday.

The Saints travelled to Kilmington & Stourton 2nds and won by three wickets, Freddie Wolfenden taking 3-27 as the hosts were restricted to 161-9.

Opener Nigel Contreras then held firm while wickets fell around him, making 55 not out to guide St Andrew’s home in the 31st over.

It was far more comfortable for the Deane, who romped home by 220 runs against Yeovil 3rds.

Graham Johnson’s 112 led the way while Josh Thomas hit 57 in the home side’s 280-6, and John Ponte then took 4-12 as Yeovil were blasted out for 60.

The league was won by Fitzhead Crusaders, who eased to a 100-run win at Broadway & Horton 2nds.

Mark Seward (67) and Duncan Morrish (70*) led Fitzhead to 254-4 and the wickets were shared around in reply - including 2-31 to complete a fine day for Morrish as Broadway fell comfortably short.