Warminster Cricket Club 1st XI recorded back-to-back wins to remain top of the Wiltshire County Cricket League Division 1.
They delivered a commanding win over Malmesbury 1st XI on Saturday 24th May and followed it up by beating Devizes by 107 runs to make it five wins out of five for the season.
Against Malmesbury, Warminster began their innings scoring at a steady rate. George Cansdale top scored with a fluent 92 runs and was unlucky not to record his first century for the club. Ably supported by the middle order, including Nathan Bond (52 runs), George helped the team to 250 runs for six wickets off their 45 overs.
In reply, Malmesbury were unable to score at the required run rate, lost wickets regularly and were finally all out for 140 runs. Alex Adlam returned the best bowling figures, with four wickets for 34 runs, as the team ran out winners by 110 runs.
The Warminster 2nd XI succumbed to a heavy defeat against the Swindon Super Strikers. The Super Strikers’ pair of opening bowlers produced a superb spell of bowling which caused the Warminster team enormous problems, with Warminster finally all out for 78 runs. Even though Cieran Woodhouse took three early wickets for Warminster, Swindon Super Strikers reached their target comfortably, winning the match by seven wickets.
The 3rd XI recorded a comfortable victory over Norton St Philip. Callum Widdows starred during the Warminster innings, helping to guide the team to a total of 216 runs. He was incredibly unlucky not to reach his century, falling agonisingly short on 98 not out. In response, Norton St Philip were all out for 174 runs in the 38th over. Mark Evans took three wickets with the rest shared amongst the remaining bowlers.
On Saturday 31st May, Warminster 1st XI made it five wins out of five for the season in beating Devizes 1st XI by 107 runs. Warminster batted first, reaching 261 for seven wickets from their 45 overs. Rory Cullinan scored an excellent 61 runs off 40 balls, but it was Kevin Monaghan (75 runs) who provided the backbone to the innings and ensured a highly competitive total. Whilst all the Warminster bowlers performed well, Brad Small took the honours, taking five wickets for 48 runs from his nine overs. As a result, the 1st XI remain top of the Wiltshire County Cricket League Division 1.
The 2nd XI lost to a strong Avebury 2nd XI team. Batting first, Avebury built a commanding score of 298 runs off their 45 overs. The Warminster bowlers struggled to make a major breakthrough during the innings, although Oli Swinnerton took three late wickets in his five over spell. In reply the batters found it difficult to maintain the required run rate and were ultimately all out for 146 runs.
The 3rd XI completed another resounding win. All six of Warminster’s bowlers took wickets as they bowled Melksham 2nd XI out for 116 runs in 32 overs. Elliot Woodhouse and Mark Evans both took three wickets as Melksham struggled to post a substantial total. In response, the top order batters helped Warminster reach their target easily, scoring the necessary 117 runs for the loss of only three wickets.
Russell Collier
