Thors entertained Exeter on Thursday night in the final round of the Covid Cup. With Thors on top of the table on 8 points & the visitors second placed on 6 points, this was essentially a title decider.
The permutations:- Thors needed to win, tie or lose by less than 7 runs to lift the cup. If Exeter won by more than 7 runs, they would lift the title in their first season in the competition.
Thors line up:- D.Robbins, A.Pitt, H.Choules+, J.Van Der Meulen, L.Vukusic, S.Jefferson, G.Daldorph, B.Slaviero*, J.Broom, A.Jopling, J.Stirling.
The crucial toss was won by Slaviero, all but ending Exeter’s hopes of a final day coup.
Robbins & Pitt opened the innings; Robbins immediately took a liking to the off-spin of Sam Read as he planted the first ball of the game over square leg for six. The following three balls saw another twelve added following two fours & a four byes, Thors 19-0 after the first.
Dube & Jones restored some control for Exeter as three off Dube’s first over, followed by a wicket maiden for Jones, yorking Robbins for 17 left the hosts 22-1 after 3. Pitt was the next man to go for 5, trying to pull a back of a length ball from Dube, only for the ball to skid through straight into his off peg. Choules & Van Der Meulen survived the rest of the powerplay; Thors 47-2.
The off-spin of Billy Buckingham struck twice in two balls, Choules patting the simplest of chances back to him on 19, then bowling Vukusic first ball for 0 to reduce the hosts to 54-4.
Van Der Meulen took 15 off the next over including a 6 over long on. Him and Jefferson looked to be making progress when he tried to repeat the six a couple of overs earlier and was caught off Riyaz for 23 from 12.
Daldorph joined Jefferson and the pair kept the scoreboard ticking over with good running and a few boundaries.
Jefferson was bowled trying to sweep Read for 35 from 30 with two overs left, Thors 148-6. Daldorph hit an exquisite six over extra cover and he & skipper Slaviero took 12 off the remainder of the Read over; 160-6 with an over to go. A single was all that Thors could manage off Dube’s impressive death bowling as he knocked over Slaviero for 5 and incoming Broom first ball for 0; Thors finishing on 161-8.
Slaviero opened from the pavilion end and removed one of the visitors dangerman, Sam Read, second ball for 0, caught by Pitt at mid on. Off the last ball of the first over, a bizarre incident lead to Mohammed Thoufeeq being stumped by Choules off Slaviero after Thors were convinced he had been caught behind. Exeter 2-2 after the first.
The former Sri Lanka U19s star Jeham Daniel strode to the crease to join Merchant & the pair quickly began to rebuild the innings, taking the score up to 40 from 5 overs before Merchant was caught by Broom off Jopling at extra cover.
Gribble hung around to support Daniel with the game looking very much in the balance at the halfway stage with Exeter at 85-3 and Daniel looking extremely settled at the crease.
Pitt replaced Jopling and removed Gribble for 11 with his first ball, hacking a full toss to Van Der Meulen at deep midwicket. Daniel continued his onslaught before Tojy was run out for 6, just after Daniel had planted a six off Pitt straight onto the roof of former Thors skipper Graham White’s car. Exeter needed 41 off the last 5 overs with 5 wickets in hand.
Van Der Meulen replaced Robbins & Slaviero was brought back into the attack, to be smashed for six over extra cover, but he then managed to get the big wicket of Daniel for 81 off 51 balls; a superb knock that had given Exeter more than a sniff and that any of the many spectators won’t forget in a hurry. 28 needed from 18 balls.
Jones and Fanous took 9 off the 18th over to leave Exeter needing 21 from 12. Fanous was removed coming back for a second run due to a phenomenal long on run out by Jopling with a direct hit. Dube & Jones could only muster 5 from the over to leave 15 required from Van Der Meulen’s last over.
Van Der Meulen kept things tight, a dot and two singles leaving the visitors needing 13 from 3. Dube managed to squirm the ball through point for 4 to leave 9 from 2 need.
Dube then managed to pull an impressively well struck 6 over midwicket & into the road to keep Exeter’s hopes alive. Van Der Meulen nailed his Yorker for the last ball, Dube could only find Pitt at extra cover and a single was all he could muster up to give Thors the win by just one run. A phenomenal game that won the cup for Thors for the second time in three years; last years competition was curtailed following a covid outbreak.
Victorious Thors skipper Ben Slaviero “Well batted by George and jeffers, they got us through a tough patch of the game. Jase, Robbo and Harry all got starts and were unlucky not to go on. Bowlers did our job and the fielding was outstanding. Great to see the club up competing against the big clubs in the league and retaining the cup. Thank you to all the supporters for coming down and creating such a buzz.”
Thank you Rich Lloyd for umpiring.
The game marked the last T20 for the season for Thors who will be re-entering the Covid Cup next year, which is likely to be renamed.
Thorverton Cricket Club 