MINEHEAD secured their place in the Somerset Division of the West of England Premier League next season thanks to three-wicket win away to bottom side Wellington.

Hero of the day was overseas player Liam Muggeridge, who’s crucial innings helped his side recover from 15-4 to win the match.

Bowling first, Minehead got off to a flying start when the ever-impressive Darren Sherring (3-30) claimed the wicket of R Davies for a duck with just the fourth ball of the game.

He and fellow opener Dan Bowditch (0-21) ensured scoring remained tough through to the eighth over, when Sherring struck again to remove the dangerous Kayden Hine for 20 just as he looked to press on.

Skipper Alex Sparks was next to depart as he also fell to Sherring, feathering an edge through to keeper Greg Howard for three, leaving his team in considerable bother at 23-3.

No 4 Aaron Campbell looked to consolidate with some watchful play, and with the aid of S Whitefield (9) and Luke Desave (14) had pushed the score to 110 when he passed his 50 with a six and four off the bowling of Ian Buchanan (1-41).

The score read 149-7 when he finally met his demise, clean bowled by Gavin Paviour (1-33) for a well-made 64 before Ian Hewson (16no) and the Wellington tail added 23 to give their side a respectable total of 172 all out in 49.4 overs.

In reply, the visitors’ top order had no answer to the opening pairing of Desave (4-34) and Hewson (1-22) as they bowled with great control and aggression to leave tMinehead reeling at 15-4.

Opener Muggeridge was undeterred however, and he dug in to survive the early onslaught and, now joined by Alastair Harrison, the two began to re-build with some classy stroke play and clever running.

They had pushed the score past 100 with no further alarm before Harrison brought up his half-century with another well timed boundary.

But he met his downfall just an over later when he was bowled by Whitefield for 54 to blow the game wide open again.

Despite the loss of his partner, Muggeridge remained resolute and he too passed 50 before striking an almighty six from the spin of Whitefield to reduce the deficit to less then 30.

Freddie Wilson (6) and Darren Sherring (4) both fell cheaply, but with only 11 to win, Muggeridge again cleared the ropes and with a boundary and a single in the same over he took his score to 94no and led his team to an unlikely victory with 4.3 overs to spare.

The win means Minehead now sit seventh in the table and safe from relegation.

Tomorrow (Saturday) they host North Perrott in the last game of the season with their visitors still harbouring hopes of being crowned league champions.