Westbury & District Cricket Club kicked off their West of England Premier League Tier 3 T20 campaign with a hard-fought victory away at Frome CC, overcoming tricky conditions after overnight rain left the wicket damp and unpredictable.
Frome won the toss and elected to field, hoping to exploit the conditions early. Westbury, debuting their new coloured T20 kit, were quickly put under pressure as early wickets fell and runs proved difficult to come by on the sluggish pitch.
Javon Grosvenor and Leo Bates were both dismissed cheaply, and although Fraser Moore struck a lively 27 including two big sixes, the visitors struggled to build sustained momentum. Fraser along with Tom Lucas added brief resistance, but it was Adam Alger’s composed 29 not out that anchored the innings. Late contributions, including 13 from Richard Oakley, helped Westbury post a modest but competitive 109-9 from their 20 overs.
In reply, Frome never truly came to terms with the testing surface and Westbury’s disciplined bowling attack. Richard Oakley dismantled the Frome top order taking four wickets for just two runs off his four overs. Captain Tom Lucas was also particularly effective taking four wickets that included two important wickets late on to seal the victory.
Frome showed flashes of resistance, with Luke Padgett top scoring with 23 and Harry Medlicott also contributing 23, but regular wickets halted any chance of building a match winning partnership. The damp pitch continued to play its part, offering assistance to the bowlers throughout.
Ultimately, Frome were bowled out for 93 in the last over, handing Westbury a 16-run victory and a winning start to their T20 campaign.
Given the challenging conditions, Westbury will take great confidence from a much-improved bowling performance and will await the draw for the next round.
