Wellington 172 - Staplegrove 164-8

Wellington came close to losing this Somerset League Division One match with old rivals Staplegrove at Courtland Road last Saturday, but a run out in the last over saw that Paul Short's men made it seven home wins out of seven this season with an eight run win and in the process collected 31 points.
However with Butleigh making short work of Westlands in Yeovil the gap between the top two is 42 points and Wellington simply have to win their remaining four matches - which does include a visit from Butleigh - to have any chance of taking the SCL title for 2008.

Staplegrove won the toss and, unsurprisingly, elected to put Wellington into bat and it was slow going for the Red and Blacks to begin with as former Wellington fast bowler Simon Salt and Sizer bowled a fine line and length.
They claimed the wickets of Mark Salter and Alex Sparks before the score had reached 30.
Matt Daniel played a good knock of 23 and he was seeing off the new ball, but he was trapped right in front of all three stumps and had to go LBW.
Rob Moysey and Marc Holloway consolidated matters for the home side with knocks of 26 and 33 respectively as they ran the ball around the ground well and collected singles and two often - something that Staplegrove did not do when it came to their turn to bat and they paid a price for that.
A great injection of dynamism came from John Paine who lashed 28 in quick time and 13 from keeper Alec Short did much to get Wellington to a total that would see them offer Staplegrove a competitive total to have to chase.
With Kevin Symons still out injured and circumstances offering the facility former Somerset and Kent fast bowler Ben Trott donned Wellington colours for this match and made a telling contribution for the club for whom he played between 1991 and 1996 as he made 19no, adding 14 for the last wicket with Max Capaldi and this was the telling partnership for Wellington.
Wellington were all out for 172 with one ball left.

Penny and Sizer added 39 good runs for Staplegrove's opening wicket before the former played on to Ben Trott.
Paul Short bowled as well as he has all season as he sent down 12 excellent overs of off-spin and claimed 4-14 in the process - poor shot selection from Sizer and Craggs gifted the Wellington skipper two of his scalps as they ballooned the ball to John Paine who took three catches on the day.
Rob Moysey was in good form with the ball too as he took 2-52 in 12 overs as Wellington's spin options came to the fore once more.
But having reduced Staplegrove to 99-7 they suddenly re-ignited matters as T.Pantling with 57 and Rudkin with 21no added 62 for the eighth wicket and although overs were been bowled at a good rate by Wellington the runs were coming too and the last over saw 23 needed and with ten runs coming off of the first two balls Wellington were in a sticky situation, but with Pantling getting run out on the fourth ball Wellington had done enough and could be safe in the knowledge that the match had been won by 8 runs.
Next week's visit to all-but-relegated bottom side South Petherton should be a relatively easy affair, but with only one away win all season the team will be pleased to get the game won before Butleigh visit on Saturday 16th August.