After last week’s demolition job of fellow promotion candidates Honiton, Thors travelled to Topsham for undoubtedly their biggest game of the season. The day started with Thors 8 points clear of the second placed hosts, who had won 8 in a row.
The visitors lineup:- L.Vukusic, A.Daldorph, S.Jefferson, D.Baldock, G.Squire, P.Stirling+, B.Heard, J.Baker, I.Daldorph, J.Stirling*, J.Broom. Stirling won his first toss for 92 days and elected to bat on a dry wicket & rapid outfield.
Vukusic & Daldorph opened the innings, taking Thors to 50-0 after the first ten, Vukusic in particular finding the gaps & the bowlers with relative ease; looking assured in the process.
The pair continued until just after the first of the two scheduled drinks breaks as the spin of Wardell bowled Daldorph uncharacteristically short of his half-century on 47. Daldorph is sitting pretty at the top of the E Division East batting charts with an impressive 596 league runs this campaign. Thors 103-1 after 16 overs.
The hosts managed to enforce a dramatic turnaround in momentum as the tidy spin of Perry & Wardell took a flurry of wickets and have limited opportunities to score. Jefferson, Baldock, Squire, P.Stirling and Heard all fell to the pair in single figures & Topsham must’ve fancied their chances as Thors capitulated to 136-6 after 29 overs.
Vukusic stood strong & still looked comfortable, passing 50 for the second time this season. He was ably supported by the straight bat of Jonny Baker at number 8. The pair tucked along nicely to take Thors passed a fourth batting point, before Vukusic was bowled for a well made 69 from 103 balls.
Imogen Daldorph came and went courtesy of a screamer of a catch at midwicket by Declan Wardell, taking the ball behind him and over his head, somehow managing to negotiate hitting the ground; there won’t be many better catches in the division this year.
Baker was then stumped for a very handy 26. Last man Broom strode out to join skipper Stirling with Thors 18 short of a vital fifth batting point at 182-9 with 4 overs left.
The pair ran well and took advantage of the occasional loose ball to steer the visitors beyond the crucial 200 mark. They both hung around at the end to deny Topsham the last bowling point, finishing on 213-9.
Broom & I.Daldorph took the new cherry in response, with Topsham openers Wardell & Sapwell taking the score to 34-0 from 8 when a double bowling change brought Baker & J.Stirling into the attack.
Wardell was first to go, a victim of some turn and bounce from Stirling finding the glove, deflecting off P.Stirling’s gloves into the safe grasp of Baldock at first slip; Topsham 41-1.
Perry & Sapwell continued to chip away in the heat before Stirling got his opposite number, bowled through the gate with the score on 69. Baker trapped Perry LBW four runs later, before Stirling trapped danger-man Treleaven in front for just 4; Topsham 77-4 after 20 overs.
Baker finished his nine overs with tidy figures of 1-27. Stirling struck again to remove LBW to remove Croxall; Topsham 92-5 and Stirling bowled out with 4-29.
Broom came back into the attack & Heard replaced Stirling from the other end, bowling Williams with just his second ball. Broom then found the edge of Sharp & the hands of Baldock at slip to leave the hosts struggling at 108-7. Shillabeer proved sticky to remove, soaking up 45 balls for 24. Daldorph replaced Broom & took the final three wickets to bowl the hosts out for 150; Daldorph returning with 3-35.
The win gives Thors pole position in the title race and keeps us 51 points clear of third placed Honiton.
Jack Stirling “A really impressive performance against the best side we’ll face in this league. Luke’s knock was the most mature I’ve seen from him and it’s great to see him in the runs. As a unit we were so tight today to turn things around from 136-6 & were near-faultless in the field. Everyone did their job with the ball & the metronomic Imogen Daldorph is proving herself to be more and more of an asset everytime we play. I’m so proud of every single player in this squad to get us into such an enviable position with four games to go and we absolutely deserve to be there. We need to ensure we don’t let up and secure the title now as nothing less is befitting for the season we’ve had to this point”.
Next up, the 2s host Ottery St Mary on Saturday 13th August at home.
Thorverton Cricket Club 