West of England Premier League
Somerset Division
North Petherton 155-2 beat Wellington 154 by 8 wkts

NORTH Petherton’s stay in the West of England Premier League looks to have ended, despite an eight-wicket win at home to Wellington on the final day.

The ups and downs for the 2020 season are still to be ratified, but it seems that the Somerset’s bottom three of Yeovil, Taunton Deane 2nds and Pethy have been relegated to the Somerset Division.

On Saturday the hosts put Wellington in to bat, reducing them to 23-2 as Farran Gregory took 2-7 off seven overs.

Tom Chambers (45) and Neil Hendy (33) pushed the score up to 65, only for Ali Zaryab Asif (4-25 off 10) and Ben Meek (2-40 off 10) to rip through the middle and lower order, dismissing Wellington for 154 in 48 overs.

Pethy slipped to 27-2 in reply, but an unbroken third-wicket stand of 128 between Asif (69no) and Harry Bowditch (51no) saw their side home with no further loss.

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WEPL Somerset Division
Wembdon 174 beat Street 106 by 68 runs

A FIVE-WICKET haul from Max Sellick inspired Wembdon to victory at home to Street in their final match of the season on Saturday.

Wembdon elected to bat first but Brendan Pope was caught in the third over.

The incoming Nkululeko Serame recovered the innings alongside Phil Anning with a 45-run partnership for the second wicket.

Serame looked at ease, striking the ball vigorously through the covers for four on eight occasions en route to 35 from 41 balls before he was caught.

Jon Brockwell and Anning added 23 runs before Brockwell (7) was also caught.

Street clawed their way back in to the contest as Daniel Lake bowled Anning (28) and Liam Ward got his third of the day, bowling Dan Bingham for 10.

Wembdon were now 99-5 from 30 overs but Jack Lowe was scoring freely and ran positively with Liam Pigden in a 46-run stand.

Pigden (8) was then trapped lbw and Mike Watts launched a large straight six before also departing.

Lowe was caught on the boundary for a classy 38 before Mike King’s short-pitched bowling accounted for Daniel James-Stone (2) and Sellick (6), with James Annison not out on five as Wembdon posted 174 all out.

After the interval, Brockwell began with a lively six-over spell which cost just eight and included the opening wicket as Lake (4) was caught by Sellick in the gully.

Young opener Josh Kelly looked comfortable at the crease and Street began to look threatening, moving the score along to 40 when Kelly called Ben Trotman (5) through for a quick single, but he was run out short of his ground when Brockwell’s throw shattered the stumps.

Annison looked lively and found the edge of Rob Hill first ball but a low chance was put down at first slip.

Serame’s opening four overs went uncharacteristically without a wicket so Wembdon then reintroduced seam and Sellick removed Hill (10) with his very first delivery, caught by Lowe, before having Kelly (22) caught behind.

When James Annison bowled Gary Holland, Street had lost three wickets for three runs, and Wembdon tightened their grip further as Pigden held on to an Annison rocket as Jack Western (13) edged behind, the bowler finishing with 2-17 from 10.

Brockwell removed French before Sellick bowled King and had Harris impressively taken by Watts, who held a high swirling catch.

Sellick seized his chance for a five-fer, sealing it with the second ball of his eighth over by bowling Ward to dismiss Street for 106.

Street had lost eight wickets for 35 runs, Wembdon taking the bonus points and Sellick 5-22 from 7.2 overs.

Match sponsor: Mick & Sheila Bowden

Wembdon’s strong finish to the season sees them finish runners-up, 34 points ahead of their nearest rivals, while Frome were runaway league champions.

A runners-up finish is a good benchmark for the club, who have embarked on a project to progress over the coming seasons by investing in coaching, effective recruitment and the promoting of home grown talent.

All of Wembdon’s four Saturday XIs finished the summer strongly under the excellent marshalling of their respective captains.

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WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset
Keynsham 175-4 beat Shapwick & Polden 174 by 6 wkts

SHAPWICK & Polden concluded a tough season with a six-wicket defeat at Keynsham as two relegated sides went head-to-head on Saturday.

Having been put in, Shapwick opener Steve Tinnion got off to his usual flying start, blasting five fours and a six before he was trapped in front by Sam Wheller for 28 from 11 balls.

Wheller (4-25) also removed Tinnion’s opening partner Jacques Lukins (11) and number three James Venkatrao (16) before John Stratton (11) and Ben Rudge (18) couldn’t kick on after making starts.

Shapwick were indebted to a valiant 35 from number eight Harry Woolway, supported by Callum Harvey (16), to push them to 174.

The final wicket fell with eight overs unused and Woolway (2-35) took his momentum into his bowling, dismissing both openers cheaply.

James Mitchell (59) and Daniel Jarman (65no) combined for the match-defining partnership for the third wicket to take the game away from Shapwick.

Harry Love (1-28) broke the stand, having Mitchell caught by Stratton, and Ben Rudge (1-28) dismissed Daniel Price for a golden duck, but Jarman stayed put to see Keynsham over the line.

The result ensures Shapwick finish at the foot of the Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset table after just two wins from their 18 matches in 2019.