WEPL Premier One
Lechlade 139-8

Clevedon 136 all out
LECHLADE moved up to fourth in the WEPL Premier One table – though still not safe from relegation – with a thrilling two-wicket victory over second-placed Clevedon at the Manor Ground on Saturday.

Gloucestershire’s Jack Taylor made his home debut for Lechlade but it was Benny Ellis who took the man of the match honours thanks to his 6-31 with the ball, a brilliant running catch and then an flawless and accomplished 56 not out to see his side home.

On a pitch which was likely to favour the bowlers, Clevedon won the toss and elected to bat.

Joe Breet opened the bowling for Lechlade with Ellis’s spin from the other end.

Clevedon’s opening batsmen were Masoor Khan and, fresh from his previous evening’s debut for Hampshire, Jacob Lintott.

They took the score to an uneventful 34 off 10 overs before Breet had Masoor (9) caught behind by Brad Dial.

Ellis was replaced by Taylor who had the dangerous Lintott (25) brilliantly caught full length at short leg by Benny.

Marc Jenkins and Marc Lezar then proceeded to put Clevedon in a strong position at 119-2 off 30 overs before the reintroduction of Ellis from the Manor end changed the game completely. Ellis took 6-5 (10-1-31-6) in 27 balls which left Taylor (9.1-3-22-3) to mop up the tail. Clevedon had lost eight wickets for 17 runs in nine overs leaving Lechlade chasing a modest total of 136.

In this season of turns, twists and surprises it was never likely to be an easy chase but no-one expected the hosts to be 29-5 off 8.3 overs. Breet (0) again was caught without having a good look at the bowling, Ryan Higgins (5) was bowled by Solomons and Dial (0) was well caught at first slip by Lezar off Khan.

Jack Taylor (11) played a shot he’d rather forget and was stumped by a country mile, and then James Palmer had his stumps uprooted by Solomons.

Ellis scored just one off his first 25 balls and looked in obdurate mood. Equally skipper Freddie Martin was determined to build a partnership and the two managed to take the score to 73 when Martin (10) was adjudged lbw to Lintott, not playing a shot.

Four overs later Chris Harwood and Harvey Jupp had departed and the writing was on the wall at 84-8. Ellis, however, now found an equally determined partner in Liam Smith, as the two gradually made inroads into their target, single by single.

With 20 still required Solomons (9.2-3-49-3) returned to the attack in the 37th over but Smith hit three stunning boundaries in the over and the target was in single figures.

Ellis scored only two boundaries but capped a brilliant personal match by carrying his bat and left Smith (31*) to cover drive Solomons for four to bring up an exciting victory and an eighth-wicket partnership of 55.

Freddie Martin’s young side continue to show admirable character in their first season in Premier One.