Sat. 8th June. West of England League Wiltshire Division – Westbury 195-9 Devizes 210-7
Westbury entertained local league rivals, Devizes, in the latest West of England League Wiltshire Division, hoping to carry on their winning run which started last week – a win at home against a youthful Purton side.
Westbury made three changes from last week’s game with Osmond Shallow, Luke Dilena and James Mawson coming in for James Hudson, Clark Evans and Kane Scott.
Westbury won the toss and immediately put Devizes in to bat in view of the weather forecasted. Devizes opened the batting with the Devizes captain Tom Grant and Joe Wookey and they made a steady start. But when the total reached 24, Westbury made a double breakthrough by taking 2 quick wickets with Grant (5) and Kelsey, both dismissed by the Westbury opening bowler Andy Carroll.
Pirihotse then joined Wookey at the wicket and they played some shot and the total rose. The first 50 came up in 78 balls. The batsman then took the total to 80 when Westbury struck again by dismissing Pirie caught by Graham Hudson off the bowling of the Westbury spinner Gill for 21. Shortly after, when the total reached 88, Westbury struck by having the Devizes opener Wookey dismissed for 46 caught by Shallow.
Then the experienced Devizes middle order batsmen Andrew and Saye took the total to 146 when Saye was bowled by Graham Hudson for 18. Andrew was then joined at the wicket by Shearn and they took the total to 177 when Shearn was dismissed by Carroll for 14. Afterwards, Andrew was out bowled by Mills for a good 57 when the total was at 183. The lower order batsmen Sunderendran and Easton took the Devizes total to 210 for 7 wickets off their allotted 50 overs.
When Westbury batted, they made a disastrous start with half the batting lineup out for 49, with the Devizes opening attack of Grant (3-24) and McGowan (2-16) doing the damage. With the batting lineup in tatters, young Aidan Wicks joined his captain at the wicket and after some consolidation, they gradually moved the score on to 118. Devizes broke through this partnership of 69 when Coles, the Westbury captain, was dismissed for 41, caught by Pirie off the bowling of Tim Saye.
Shortly after, Oakley was out for 2. Carroll then came to the wicket and he and Wicks counter-attacked the bowling, but when the total reached 158, Caroll was out for 24 . Wicks and the lower order tried in vain to push Westbury to an unlikely win after the collapse of the top order. At the end of the allotted 50 overs, Westbury had accumulated 195 for 9 wickets, leaving Devizes winners by a narrow 15 runs. Aidan Wicks finished unbeaten on 61, his first league 50.
The Suave Westbury man of the match was Aidan Wicks, for his unbeaten 61.
