WELLINGTON Cricket Club will complete their pre-season programme prior to the start of the 2025 season this Saturday with a 1st X1 game at Bideford and a 2nd X1 match against Street. The league season will begin on the 3rd May with the first team away to North Perrot, the 2nd team at home to Middlezoy and the 3rd team away to Staplegrove.

After last year’s adventure in WEPL Division 2 the first team are looking to consolidate back in the WEPL Somerset League. This will be a very competitive league as Wellington will have to play teams such as Taunton Deane and Ilminster who both came down with Wellington last year. The core of Wellington side remains the same under the captaincy of Arron Campbell, with many of the younger players having gained much experience at the higher level last year.

Again, the committee have invested in the services of a Sri Lankan overseas player and have bought over Lakshan Edirisinghe, a spin bowling middle order batsman to bolster the team and aid with the coaching of junior players through out the club.

The Second team will rely on the vast experience of their senior players aligned with some younger players looking to push through into the first team. The 2nd X1 under Robert Moysey was promoted for the second year running at the end of last season and will be playing against more 1st X1 teams this season which means the cricket will be more challenging.

The third team under Connor Wickenden will look to encourage older and younger players alike to play league cricket in a more relaxed environment. The team will look to give young players their first taste of longer format league cricket as well as welcoming any new players to the club who would like a game but cannot commit to playing every week.

In short the new season will see some good competitive cricket played at the playing field this season and the club will welcome new playing members and social members.

Mark Salter