WELLINGTON 96

NORTH PETHERTON 100-6

WELLINGTON lost their opening WEPL Somerset Division game for a fourth successive season since their return to the Premier League system in 2013 and despite being spun out they gave North Petherton some shaky moments, writes David Derrick.

At 2-2 and then 17-3 Wellington were in trouble, but a 44-run fourth wicket stand by captains present and past in Alex Sparks and Paul Short steadied matters with Short making a good hand of 18. However, when he was one of six wickets for Petherton’s overseas player Rhoda Wellington’s innings was under pressure once more - Sparks was out for 32 just one run later and at 60-5 the Red and Blacks were fighting the odds once more.

Aks Latifi with 13 and Luke DeSave with 10 added a 25 package of runs to get Wellington to 91-6, but Rhoda with 6-23 ended things with 21 overs left unused.

DeSave showed immense quality as a strike bowler by reducing Petherton to 50-5 as he took 4-40 in eight overs and with a run out one of the pre-season favourites were in danger of being bundled out and handing Wellington a surprise win. B Taunton Town footballers Owen and Lloyd Irish compiled a telling stand in this match once more as they added 46 for the sixth wicket and although Short got Lloyd LBW for 29 a boundary from the eldest Irish brother – Lewis – saw his side to a nervy four wicket win in an innings that took just 19 overs from start to end.