Cricket – Melksham up to third with back-to-back wins

MELKSHAM CC 1st XI came through a crucial fortnight in the WCCL Division 3 promotion race with two vital wins, overcoming both the weather and their opposition on the way to victories over Devizes 2s and Swindon 3s.

The win over Devizes was especially sweet, with the home clash against the team rooted to the bottom of Division 3 the only fixture in the entire Wiltshire League to be played due to the appalling weather.

Despite the severely bleak outlook for the prospects of play, a 30 over a side contest was made possible thanks to a phenomenal effort from the ground staff and players, with Devizes batting first and getting off to a promising start.

A somewhat sloppy Melksham fielding performance allowed the away side to reach a total 168-9, although this sloppiness wasn’t punished as harshly as it could have been thanks to a late burst of wickets from Liam Merrett (4-21).

The 2nd innings got off to a solid start for the hosts, with Lewie Simmons (14) the only early casualty for Melksham as skipper Adam Mitchell looked to kick on with the job. His captain’s innings was complemented by the arrival of Paul Merrett to the crease, with Melksham’s number 3 blasting a quickfire 41 to help fire Melksham into the ascendency with a score of 133-2.

Once he was bowled, it was left to Mitchell and Joe Veacock (20*) to get the job done, which the pair were able to do with just under four overs left, with the captain finishing unbeaten on 83 as his side claimed a priceless 8-wicket victory.

The following weekend’s trip to Swindon 3s initially proved to be a frustrating affair, blighted by both rain-enforced stoppages and a lack of wickets. Gary Ings was the only Melksham bowler to claim a wicket during the first 35 overs, by which point Swindon had surged into a commanding position of 156-1.

Thankfully the away side produced a late surge during the final 10 overs, with wickets from Mitchell (4-57), Chris Singh (2-35) and Liam Merrett (1-42), helping to peg Swindon back to the chaseable total of 219-9.

The opening pair of Simmons and Mitchell got Melksham’s run-chase off to a furiously quick start. However, both batsman were dismissed in the twenties by the 10th over which, along with the further loss of Paul Merrett’s wicket, threatened to derail the visitors’ cause.

It was over to the fourth wicket pairing of Russ Collins and Ben Brown to restore the momentum, which the pair ably did with a quickfire 61-run stand which helped their side to reach a score of 114 by the 20th over.

Collins’s departure for 40 did little to stifle Melksham’s efforts, with Steve Rendell joining Brown at the crease to put on what would prove to be a decisive 85-run partnership. Towards the end of the innings Rendell was trapped LBW for 32, whilst Brown was bowled for a well-made 61, but this proved to be of little significance, with Gary Burns coming in to hit a four off the only ball of his innings to get Melksham over the line with four wickets to spare.

Victory over Swindon leaves Melksham in third place, just 18 points behind second place White Horse CC having played one game less, with that game-in-hand set to take place next week with the visit of Potterne 3s to Melksham House.