It was the first outing in the Covid Cup for Thors on Tuesday night, as we entertained Bradninch at a sun-drenched Station Ground.
Thors lined up with:- Pitt, L.Vukusic, Hooper, H.Choules+, Van Der Meulen, Porter, Slaviero*, Jopling, Meredith, J.Stirling, Wenley.
Eliot Acton won the toss and elected to bat in the June heat. Skipper Slaviero opened the bowling from the pavilion end and struck with just his fourth ball to remove the dangerous Tim Piper for just 4. Stirling took the catch, but not after Porter had called for it himself, misjudged his positioning and ended up on the deck. A chorus of laughter also ensued in the first over as the returning Luke Vukusic managed to get himself in a tangle chasing the ball to the leg side boundary, falling over as the ball trickled to the fence.
Pitt opened proceedings from the River End and struck with just his second ball with Eliot Acton nicking off behind. Mitch Pugh and Charlie Sheen started to take advantage of the powerplay with a few boundaries, before in the fourth over Sheen was well caught in the deep by Van Der Meulen off Pitt for 6.
The end of the powerplay saw Bradninch with 35-3 and brought about a double bowling change as Hooper and Jopling came into the attack. A nine ball over from Jopling saw 11 runs but also the wicket of South African overseas Chad Classen, caught by Slaviero. Pugh and Paul started to rebuild for the visitors, adding 18 from the next two overs.
Stirling replaced Hooper and bowled Paul with his third ball. The visitors 66-5 at the halfway stage. Pugh and Richards took another 11 off a Jopling over, before Stirling struck twice in two balls, bowling both Pugh and the incoming Badwal to reduce Bradninch to 78-7. Stirling claimed a fourth wicket, another bowled as Wakeley made his way back.
The off-spin of James Meredith replaced Jopling and kept things tight. Richards hit two large sixes off Stirling into the Orchard over the road, before Choules stumped Mills off the bowling of Meredith, then Hooper returned to bowl Liam Reed. The visitors 112 all out, with 2 overs left of their allocation.
Pitt & Vukusic opened the response for Thors. Vukusic was removed first ball, clean bowled by Classen. Hooper came in at 3 and he and Pitt accumulated in the powerplay overs, the score reaching 39-1 before Pitt was bowled by Acton for 17 in the last ball ball of the powerplay. Acton then struck again twice in his second over, bowling Hooper for 21 and nicking off Choules for 1. Sheen removed Porter plum LBW in the next over and Thors we’re struggling at 48-5 after 8.3 overs.
Skipper Slaviero joined Van Der Meulen and the paid took 8, then 11 off the next two overs, including a Van Der Meulen 6. Classen then returned to remove his fellow countryman Van Der Meulen, strangled down the leg side and well caught by Piper for 14.
Jopling and Slaviero added a few before Jopling was bowled by Pugh for 8; Thors 90-7 and needing 22 from 30. Badwal bowled two very tight sets at Meredith and uprooted Slaviero’s middle stump, Thors needing 19 from 17.
Stirling and Meredith ran well but could only manage 1s and 2s, Sheen finishing the job with the last over going for 8, Thors losing by 4 runs.
Thanks to Paul Jordan for umpiring. Next up in the Covid Cup is a trip to Bohea Field on Tuesday to take on Clyst St George.
Thorverton Cricket Club 