THIS was a measured and tactical win in the Somerset Division of the West of England Premier League for Wellington at now previous divisional leaders Yeovil as a three wicket success keeps Jacob Hurry's team in third place once more as they were on arrival in South Somerset, but Yeovil are now just four points clear in second with new leading team Ilminster fifteen clear of the Red and Blacks writes David Derrick.

On another warm day Yeovil elected to bat first on winning the toss and when the ever-dangerous Chacko hit his first two balls for four he looked set for business, but George Davis removed him third ball as Stian Smith took a good catch.

Toby Stirzaker with two wickets and Davis with one more had Yeovil reeling at 82-5 before their middle order rallied well as Bicknell made 47, Dicker 22, Hume 37 and Veale 50 to take the home side to 217 all out in 46 overs with Toby Stirzaker taking a second five wicket haul of the season with 5-48 in ten overs as he fronted the attack well.

Spin was provided by Stian Smith (1-30 in ten overs), Lakshan Edirisinghe (1-42 in ten overs) and Arron Campbell (1-37 in seven overs) and the balance of the overs that Yeovil faced were sent down by Robbie Watts.

Wellington caught well and would be chasing 218 in 50 overs after tea to win.

George Ruell and Luke Desave put on 36 opening wicket runs for Wellington before he was bowled for 27 by the pacy Brighton (4-53 in ten overs) who was Yeovil's most compelling proposition with the ball.

Stian Smith with 24 and Lakshan Edirisinghe with 12 supplied middle order runs, but at 77-6 Wellington were in a spot of bother.

Jacob Hurry and James Hibbert combined forces to add 90 superb seventh wicket runs to take the score to 167-7 when Hurry was dismissed bowled for 34 (44 balls, six fours) to bring Wellington well back into the game with plenty of overs on offer, but only three wickets to work with.

Hibbert and Toby Stirzaker met the challenge on offer as they sealed the deal with an unbroken eighth wicket stand that was worth 56 to give Wellington a third maximum haul this season of 20 points to Yeovil's seven as scores of 75no with 9 fours in 69 balls and 26no with three fours and the match winning six in 45 balls were recorded, with a massive 9.1 overs left unused.

After five match days in May, the 2026 season is developing a table that has a 'four/three/three' split about it with Wellington in the first of these blocks and they will look to record win number four at home to a Bridgwater 2nd XI that has not won a game so far and lies in eighth place at the Lloyd and Whyte Cricket Ground from noon on Saturday 6th June.

Fixtures, Saturday, 6 June: Ilminster v North Perrott; Taunton v Chard; Temple Cloud v Yeovil; Wellington v Bridgwater 2nds; Wembon v Frome.