Hatherley & Reddings CC, Glos – 1st XI 206-7. Westbury 1st XI 209-3. Westbury 1st XI won by 3 runs.

Westbury travelled to play Hatherley & Reddings in the opening league match of the West of England Wilts and Gloucs Premier two match hoping to start their 2017 league season with a win against fellow promotion winners from last year. 

Hatherley won the toss and immediately decided to bat first. Westbury opened with the regular opening bowlers Carroll and Oakley and Hatherly made a confident start against some loose bowling so when Hatherley’s opening partnership reached 56 Westbury made a breakthrough when Mills dismissed leg before for 34.

Boroughs was then joined by Hill and they took the total to 87 when Boroughs was caught and bowled by the Westbury spinner Hudson. Hill was then joined by Hage and they took the total to 113 when Hage was caught out for 19. Westbury through some fine bowling by Mills and Hudson brought Westbury back into the game by striking four times with the score going from 113 to 155 and it was only due to Osme lusty hitting by the Hatherley lower order that the score reached 206 for 7 wickets.

With the start that they would be probably disappointed with the total that was achieved. When Westbury batted they opened with a new partnership of Hudson and Whiting and both batted carefully against the Hatherley opening bowlers, Whiting was the most attacking but when the total reached 25 Hudson was out leg before for 13 having misjudged the length of the delivery. Whiting was then joined by Varley and when the total reached 45 Whiting was unluckily caught behind for a rapid 25.

Varley was then joined by newcomer Dickinson and he decided to play cautiously but he and Varley took the total to 95 when Dickinson was out for 17. During this partnership Varley completed his 50 off 49 balls in 63 minutes. On Dickinson dismissal Varley was joined by Coles completely dominated the bowling. When the total reached 191 Coles his first club league 50 in 50 balls in 47 minutes.

The 4th wicket partnership of 114 unbroken took Westbury to a dominating win by 7 wickets with more than 17 overs to spare. At the end of the innings both Varley and Coles were both unbeaten on 71. This was a completely dominating stat to the league season and they put down a marker to the rest of the league that Westbury mean business this year.