West of England Premier League
Covid Group C
Wellington 190-4 beat Bridgwater 167 by 23 runs

HAVING crushed Taunton St Andrews in their previous match, Bridgwater came back down to earth with a disappointing defeat away to Wellington on Saturday.

The hosts won the toss and chose to bat on a very dry surface, only to lose Neil Hendy (0) to the pacey Ned Leonard (1-13 off five overs).

But Sam Whitefield (56) and Alex Sparks (52) then took the fight to an out-of-sorts Bridgwater attack, building a match-winning partnership.

It was only the introduction of left-arm spinner Max Toohey (0-19 off eight) that stemmed the flow of runs, and he was unlucky not to pick up three or four wickets.

Tom Bellinger (2-40 off seven) dismissed Whitefield and Arron Campbell (31), but Wellington’s 190-4 looked about 50 above par on a wearing wicket that was going to be hard work after tea.

Andrew Hallaran (18) and Tom Bellinger (41) built a decent opening partnership of 66 for Bridgwater, but they were kept in check by a home attack that took pace off the ball well.

Even so, a third-wicket partnership of 59 between Alex Eckland (36) and Leonard (23) left the visitors in a good position - 130-2 with 10 overs remaining.

But Leonard’s dismissal by Hendy (2-27 off eight) was soon followed by the departure of Will Moyse (1) and Eckland, and the incoming batsmen struggled.

Ultimately the chase for quick runs saw the final eight wickets fall for just 37 runs, as Rob Moysey claimed 4-33 off seven and Campbell 2-28 off eight.

Match ball sponsors: TMB Patterns Ltd

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ALSO in Group C, Wembdon slipped to a second successive defeat, this time away to Minehead.

The visitors had a fine second-wicket partnership between Sam Puddy (52) and Rob Dickens (56) which took them up past 120, and Dan Bingham (27) and Liam Pigden (22*) saw them to 206-7.

Wembdon could do nothing about Dan Bowditch (101*), though, as he and Archie Marsh (47*) took the home side to a seven-wicket win.

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BRIDGWATER 2nd XI made it three wins from three in Group D, with a 118-run thumping of Staplegrove.

The hosts opted to bat first and, while runs flowed, they also lost regular wickets up to 85-4.

Captain Ally Witts came in alongside the evergreen Jonathan Vickery, and together they put on 72 before Witts fell for 32.

Ed Habberfield added 24 and Dan Rossiter 16 in support of Vickery, who hit 13 fours in a match-winning score of 93 from 90 balls, and Bridgwater were eventually all out for 269.

Grove’s reply was a disasterover before it began, as Tom Allcoat (4-35) and Ian Higgins (2-33) reduced them to 48-6.

Adam Richards hit back with 75, and Nathan Dimond made 30, but although the visitors only lost two more wickets, they ended up 118 runs behind.

Match sponsors: Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Bridgwater; match ball sponsors: TMB Patterns Ltd

Shapwick & Polden, meanwhile, cruised to a nine-wicket win at home to Street, who were bowled out for just 92.

Tom Barr claimed 3-27, Josh Luckins 2-27, Callum Harvey 2-12 and Wayne Spencer 2-11, and Jacques Luckins (36*) and Rob Hill (38*) won it in just 12.2 overs.

This coming Saturday sees Bridgwater 1st XI host Taunton Deane at The Parks, Wembdon at home to Weston-super-Mare, Bridgwater 2nds at Chard and Shapwick away to Staplegrove.