Sensational team performance stuns high flying visitors

West of England League. Wiltshire Division. Westbury versus Swindon at Westbury, Saturday 10th July. Westbury win by one wicket

WESTBURY entertained second in the table Swindon in the latest West of England League Wiltshire Division match hoping to build on last week’s stunning victory over unbeaten league leaders Trowbridge, and hopefully move away from the relegation places. 

Westbury made two changes from last week’s game with Michael Cooper and Aidan Wicks coming in for James Mawson and Keillo Shallow who both returned to the second team to help their promotion hopes. Westbury won the toss and immediately inserted visitors Swindon. 

Swindon opened with their regular openers Mark Williamson and Jonathan Sore, and they made a steady start by putting on 75 for the first wicket when Will-iamson, the Swindon captain, was caught behind by Kane Scott off the bowling of Jaden Edmunds for 36.  

Three runs later Westbury struck again by having Jonathan Sore also caught behind by Kane Scott off the bowling of Edmunds.  Westbury then took three wickets for the loss of 11 runs.   

This was the stage that Edmunds neatly came to the fore due to a sensational bowling spell (9-5-9-3). There was then a good partnership of 36 between Matthew Baker and Conor Taylor taking the total to130 when Westbury struck by having Baker caught by Edmunds off the bowling of Daniel Gill for 28.  

Westbury spinners Michael Cooper (6-0-26-2) and Daniel Gill (8-1-31-1) then bowled well in tandem to keep Swindon to 162 for 8 wickets off their 45 overs. 

Westbury opened with a new first wicket partnership of Michael Cooper and James Hudson, and they made a bad start when Hudson was caught by Mark Williamson off the bowling of Conor Taylor for 3 with the total at 7. 

Cooper was then joined by Daniel Gill and they took the score to 63 when Cooper was caught and bowled by the Swindon spinner Adam Tucker for 27. The Swindon spinners, Adam Tucker (9-2-22-2), Cameron Oliver (7-2-29-2) and Dean Williamson (3-27 off 4 overs) then took seven wickets for 63 leaving Westbury struggling at 129 for 9 wickets needing 40 runs to win.  

Then came a match winning partnership of 40 runs by the Westbury captain Richard Oakley (17*) and Andy Carroll (14*) that left Swindon not believing what had happened as Westbury took the match by one wicket. 

This was an unbelievable performance by the Westbury side who are starting to believe that a bright future beckons. Also with the second team also winning and possibly promotion beckoning, the club is beginning to show promise for the future, with many young players coming through. 

Team: Michael Cooper. James Hudson. Daniel Gill. Aidan Wicks. Jaden Edmund. Matt Greatley. Kane Scott (wkt) Faizal Facey. Andy Carroll. Richard Oakley (capt).