WELLINGTON 3rd XI bucked the trend of wet weather that was doing the rounds last Saturday by playing out a one-run win away to Ilminster 4th XI in Division Seven South of the Somerset League, writes David Derrick. Tony Hutchings chose to bat first on winning the toss and saw Jack Holloway and Nick Roberts rise to this opportunity with knocks of 34 and 37 respectively as they added 76 crisply scored runs together.

Holloway was out with the score at 108-2 as former skipper Des Campbell was just upping his personal scoring rate and quantity; at this time he was 34no.

Campbell was joined by Jhansherad Fernando and the pair added 82 for the third wicket of which Fernando smote 61 in 35 balls with a massive seven sixes as the score hit exactly 200 when he was out bowled. Campbell ended up on 71no made in 60 balls with eleven fours and three sixes as the Red and Blacks third string closed their forty over allocation on 234-4.

A quite extraordinary innings of 156 from Ilminster opener Curtis who hit a spellbinding knock took his side to within one run of a tie as he hit 22 fours and four sixes as Anderson with 41 kept him company until Connor Wickenden (1-46 in seven overs) caught and bowled him.

Leg spin in the form of Aayan Kaxi was good value for his analysis of 1-35 in eight good overs.

The last of the day's eighty overs dawned with ten needed to complete a marvellous run chase by Ilminster 4s, but Jack Holloway - entrusted with this most important passage of play - held his nerve and only let eight runs go and also had time to see that Wellington keeper Max White stumped Curtis in the same over to secure the narrowest and most pulsating of victories.