Captain’s superb Innings and solid team performance extends winning run

Saturday. 1st June. West of England League Wiltshire Division.  Westbury 255-5 Purton 74 all out

Westbury entertained visiting Purton in the latest West of England Wiltshire Division hoping to continue their winning run in the league. 

Westbury made two changes from last week’s win away at Potterne with James Hudson and Matt Bracher coming in for Osmond Shallow and Tom Lucas.  

Westbury won the toss and decided to bat first on the hottest day of the season.  They opened with Mills and Gill but made a bad start when the total reached 17.

Purton struck by having Mills out for 11 bowled by the young Purton opening bowler Bennett-Thomas.  

Scott then joined Gill at the wicket and after playing and missing a swinging ball, they gradually  started to find the gaps and the score started to rise.  

When the total reached 95, Westbury lost their second wicket when Scott was caught behind by Keane off the bowling of Wright for a good 26; shortly after Gill was run out going for a quick run for 49. 

Coles then joined Hudson at the wicket and they got on top of the bowling by scoring quickly at this stage and it came as a shock when, with the total at 185, Hudson picked out Wright on the deep boundary to be dismissed for a rapid 39.

Coles was scoring quickly but then he went into overdrive and with some big hitting he led Westbury to a big score of 255 for 5 wickets off the allotted 50 overs and finished on 98 not out.  

When Purton batted they were immediately in trouble when the Westbury opening bowlers Carroll and Hudson came roaring in and they took four wickets in their opening spell. Then there was a fine partnership of 38 between Wright and the Purton captain Whittaker who took the total to 57 when Wright was bowled by Oakley. 

After that wicket the Purton innings collapsed to 74 all out, due to the bowling of Gill (4-18 off 8 overs) and Oakley (2-17 off 8 overs).  This was a clinical performance by an improving Westbury team who have moved up to league to hopefully challenge runaway leaders Marshfield,.