The 1st XI gathered at Station Ground for breakfast seeking to shake off any cobwebs left from the Stirling wedding the night before.
The XI- Robbins, Fielder, Greed, Van der Meulen, Jefferson, H. Choules, Pitt, Daldorph, Slaverio, Jopling, J. Choules.
With a bit of moisture in the air, Choules won the toss and elected to field. Slaverio and Daldorph took the new ball and kept things tight in the first powerplay as the score reached 37-2 after 11 overs, Slaverio picking up both wickets. It could’ve been even better for Thors had a couple of caught behind appeals gone in our favour.
Dangerman Sam Read came and went as he was caught well by Jefferson on debut off the bowling of Van der Meulen.
Tom Richardson, a player Thors knew well, started the rebuilding process for the visitors, timing the ball well. Jopling kept things tight at the pavilion end and then caught Clist for 42 in Dan Robbins’ first over.
This brought Exeter’s overseas, Jehan Daniel, to the crease as he and Richardson struck the ball well. The score reached 115-4 at the halfway stage.
The skipper brought himself on after drinks and almost immediately struck as he removed Daniel, caught and bowled. He had another in his second over as Robbins took a calm catch at long on.
Richardson and Billy Buckingham dug in for the city side with the former passing 50 with the score on 137-6 with 18 overs left.
Choules got Buckingham LBW and Richardson was out soon after thanks to a quick stumping by Harry and at 146-8 the visitors were in trouble.
With Jopling bowled out, Pitt was introduced from the pavilion end and had a wicket as the skipper turned a regulation catch at square leg into a one handed diver. The skipper completed his 5fa in the next over and Exeter were all out for 149.
Paul Fielder served up a quality tea before opening the batting with Robbins. Joe Gore and Jehan Daniel bowled with some good pace for the visitors as Daniel removed Robbins and Greed inside 6 overs. Fielder looked comfortable but ran himself out in the 9th and Thors were in a spot of bother at 27-3.
Jefferson looked comfortable on 1st XI debut as he and Van der Meulen saw off the opening bowlers first spells but a lapse in concentration had Sam caught behind to the first ball of the change bowlers, Sam sportingly walking off before the finger went up.
The score was 48-4 when Harry Choules joined Jason at the crease but the pair kept the strike rotating and found the boundary on occasion, bringing a sense of calm to proceedings.
Jason passed his 50 and the pair’s partnership reached 67 before Choules was run out for 23.
Daniel was back on for the city side in a last throw of the dice but Pitt had no problem dispatching him over the mid wicket boundary. However he was caught trying to repeat it as the score reached 134-6.
Nerves started to creep back into the Thorverton ranks but with Jason still there and Daldroph handling the barrage of short stuff in his nonchalant fashion, there was no reason for nerves.
A boundary from Jason in the 31st over completed the job and Thors had completed the league double over Exeter.
We leapfrog 3 teams in the table and climb to 6th. It is a trip to fellow B Division promotees Kilmington next.
The skipper’s thoughts:
“Great win today, ground fielding and bowling was a really good standard. Ben Slaviero set the tone early. Good recovery from 20-3. Jason brilliant again and Harry also enjoying some decent form with the bat. 6 games to go, 4 of which are against teams below us in the table but will need to keep performing at a top level”
Thorverton Cricket Club 