Sat.13th August. West of England Wiltshire Division. Westbury 256/7 Devizes 169/all out. Westbury won by 87 runs
WESTBURY entertained fellow relegation candidates, Devizes, in the latest West of England Wiltshire Division, hoping to end the long win-less streak and hoping to end any doubts of being relegated, with a win.
Kane Scott, the acting captain for the day, won the toss and had no doubts in batting first on one of the hottest days of the year.
Westbury opened the batting with Richard Mills and James Clack, and they made a steady start, but when the total reached 32, Devizes struck by having James Clack caught by Hockey off the bowling of Shivagunde for 10. Shortly after, Daniel Gill was also out to Shivagunde for leg before wicket. Then the club’s leading run score, Dylan Hulett, was out for 0, bowled by Shivagunde with the total at 36. Ben Whiting (the currant second team captain) then came to the wicket, with Westbury in a bit of a crisis.
They took their time and gradually got on top of the Devizes bowling attack and once on top, they started to play their shots and when the drinks break was reached, Westbury had accumulated 107 for the loss of 3 wickets. But when the total reached 171, Devizes struck by having Whiting caught by Hockey off the bowling of George Dunfold for 50 made off 71 balls. Shortly after, the stand-in captain, Kane Scott, was also out when the total reached 200 caught by Candler off the bowling of Holloway for 9. Whilst this was happening, Mills completed his first 100 for a couple of years off 157 balls. He was dismissed in the last over for a brilliant 139. At the end of their allotted 50 overs, Westbury had accumulated 256 for the loss of 7 wickets.
When Devizes batted, they were immediately behind the asking rate with some good and tidy bowling. At the drinks break Devizes had only accumulated 91 for 4 wickets. It was at this time that the Westbury spinners, James Dark (10-2-29-3), Garic Hopkins (10-0-38-1) and Daniel Gill (6-0-30-1), took complete control of a demoralised Devizes who were on course to lose, their 13 successive league defeat, by taking 6 wickets for 75 runs. They went from 91 for 4 to 169 all out. Rogers (41) was the only batsman who was able to stand up to the much-changed bowling attack.
Westbury team: Richard Mills, James Clack, Daniel Gill, Dylan Hulett, Ben Whiting, Kane Scott (capt-wkt), Luke Dilena, Andy Carroll, Gric Hopkins, James Dark, Faizal Faizey.
