Malmesbury (180-10) beat Westbury (162-10) by 18 runs – West of England Wilts Div, Sat. 1st August

Westbury travelled to play Malmesbury on Saturday 1st August in the latest West  of England League Wiltshire Division. 

Westbury were hoping  to do the double over their opponents, having defeated them convincingly earlier in the season, and also hoping to close the gap on league leaders Trowbridge.

Westbury made one change from the previous week’s bad defeat against Calne with Martin Dolman coming in for Ben Whiting who was injured.

Westbury won the toss and decided to put the home team in to bat.

Westbury opened with the regular bowlers Senneck and Carroll and they made an early breakthrough when Senneck  bowled Gillespie for I with the total at 7.

Pearce – Smith was then joined by his captain Ward and after some fine bowling they gradually got on top, and when the total reached  49 when Westbury struck with Ward out bowled by Gibbons for 29. Shortly afterwards Collinson was out bowled with the total at 65.

Pearce – Smith was then joined by Gaunt who immediately attacked the Westbury bowling, when Lucas was introduced into the attack by the Westbury captain Senneck and he took 2 wickets in successive balls when he dismissed Gaunt (22) and Kenny  0) with the total at 102.

Shortly afterwards he struck again when he had Pearce – Smith (38) caught by Carroll with the total at 122. It was at this time that the Malmesbury lower order the total from 122- 180 all in the 44th over. Tom Lucas (4-44) had the best figures ably supported by  Carroll  (2-30 off 10 overs) and Gibbons (2-38 off 7 overs).

At the end of the innings Malmesbury had compiled  180 all out.

When Westbury batted they made a cautious start by the openers Mills and MacDonald, but when the total reached 23 Malmesbury struck  when MacDonald was out bowled for 14.

Gill then joined Mills and they took the total to 35 when Gill was out for 12. Gibbons then entered the fray and after some attacking shots he was caught for 21.

After his dismissal the Westbury innings subsided from 78 for 4 to 119 for 9. Then there was a fine partnership between Dolman and Oakley who almost took Westbury to an unlikely win.

When the total reached 162 Malmesbury took the last wicket when Dolman was out for 19 with Oakley unbeaten on 11.

This was another bad performance from the Westbury team coming on top of the previous week’s devastating home defeat.  With this defeat Westbury’s title dream is all about over this season.