Champions elect Exmouth were the visitors to Station Ground for the 1s final home game of the season and the final game on the current square before it is relaid in September.
The team: Robbins, Fielder, Chilcott, Van Der Meulen, Pitt, H. Choules, Daldorph, Hooper, Slaviero, Jopling, J. Choules
Choules obviously won the toss. He elected to bowl given the heavy downpour late on Friday and some recent below par performances with the bat.
The skippers instructions were clear: keep it tight for every ball and keep a positive atmosphere in the field. The opening partnership of Daldorph and Slaverio were exemplary in following these instructions with perhaps the best opening spells of the campaign so far. After 6 overs each the score was 25-1 with Slaviero bagging the prize wicket of overseas professional Jason Niemand.
Exmouth took a liking to the change bowling of Hooper but undeterred Hoops pulled off a sublime piece of fielding to run our former Shobrooke man Dan Pyle. A diving stop to pick up a crunching drive then a throw from his knees into Harry Choules who did well to finish the job from in front of the stumps.
Robbins & Jake Choules both struck early in their spells with Robbins snicking off Kidd and Choules catching and bowling George Greenway who was fresh off of a century last week. The Seasiders were 56-4 but Devon opener was James Horler still in.
The pair continued to keep it tight and when Robbins was replaced by Jopling he and Choules benefited by the turning pitch, beating the bat on numerous occasions.
Choules struck again in the 30th over when he got one to spit and hit the glove of Davies. Then he has his 3rd, the big wicket of Horler for 48 when he got one to dip in his penultimate over.
Jopling had a deserved wicket in the 38th over as Goodier was removed LBW and the score reached 100-7.
Exmouth are top of the league for a reason and their numbers 8 (Marks) and 9 (L. Greenway) batted as comfortably as anybody. The pair got the visitors over the 150 mark before Greenway went in the final over and the innings ended on 163-8.
A solid bowling and fielding performance from the Thors but Exmouth would’ve fancied their chances on a pitch that was offering plenty of turn. The Pitts served up a feast for the tea interval before the sides went back out.
Robbins and Fielder opened up and it looked like we were in business straight away when Dan struck the first ball of the innings to the boundary and the clouds began to clear. He was gone for 10 in the 4th over though as Fielder and Chilcott rebuilt.
After 10 overs we were 35-1 and in a decent position in the game. However on came the spinners (L. Greenway & Niemand) and trouble was brewing.
Fielder was first to go for 12 then a few overs later the opposition skipper had 2 in 2 – Van Der Meulen and Pitt who was fresh off of a 100 last week. 39-4 and work to do. Meanwhile the visitors were buoyant with a return to the Premier Division seemingly imminent.
Chilcott and H. Choules showed patience against some relentless spin bowling by Exmouth but 2 wickets fell in an over again when Chilly was LBW to Niemand and Daldorph was caught by a blinding catch at short mid wicket a few balls later.
Hooper sought to counter attack but not wanting to go against the tradition of the innings, the hosts lost 2 in an over again. Hooper and Slaverio both well caught.
With the score on 61 Harry Choules was given caught behind and brother Jake didn’t keep everyone out there much longer and was given LBW shortly after. Thors all out for the lowest total for some time.
However, enough bonus points were picked up to finally mathematically secure A Division cricket for 2023 and other results mean we cling on to 6th place ahead of a trip to bottom side Seaton in the final round.
Thorverton Cricket Club 