The first XI arrived at a cloudy Seaton hoping to end the season on a high and cement 6th position in the A Division.
Team: Vukusic, Fielder, Chilcott, Van Der Meulen, H. Choules, Baldock, Heard, Daldorph, Slaverio, Jopling, J. Choules.
After some below par performances in recent weeks, some batters were pestering the skipper to bat first to make amends but with the cloud and drizzle around Choules elected to bowl after inevitably winning the toss.
He seemed to have made the right call when the 2nd ball of the innings from Slaverio spat off of a length over the top of Harry Choules behind the stumps.
Slaverio and Daldorph kept it tight in the powerplay restricting the hosts to 20-2 with Daldorph doing the damage. Daldorph had a 3rd in his 7th over and with the score on 38-3 Choules & Jopling got to work.
Choules removed Hewer for 31 thanks to a sharp catch by Fielder but by the time he had finished his spell the Pirates had recovered to 97-4. Jopling struck twice before the end of his spell though and tipped the balance back to Thorverton at 98-6.
Slaverio and Heard kept it tight against the counter attacking tail with Heard finding some encouraging turn for no reward. Slaviero finally had his wicket going into the last 5 overs as the score reached 130-8. Fielder turned the arm over as the skipper got his maths wrong and Seaton put on 28 more for the loss of one further wicket ending on 158-9, a potentially competitive score given the weather and surface.
Fielder and Vukusic had other ideas though, getting Thors off to a flier as we reached 37-0 from 5 overs. The veteran skied one in the 7th over after striking 24 from 14 balls before the teenager fell next over, played on.
Chillcott and Van Der Meulen steadied the ship, getting Thors to 73 before Chilly went. Jason decided to go up a gear from here finding the boundary regularly before he fell for 57 with Thors 20 short of the total.
It was Harry Choules turns to be the aggressor who found the boundary 3 times on the way to 25 not out. Baldock increased the average slightly with a calm 9 not out as Thors won with 19 overs and 6 wickets in the bank.
A quick drink was enjoyed with the hosts before the 1s hot footed it to Thorverton to celebrate the 2s promotion.
The skipper concluded:
“Great to end the season on a high with a professional and entertaining performance. 6th place is a good achievement for our first year in this league and we will look to push on next year. Thank you and well done to the 20 players involved in the 1s squad this season”
Thorverton Cricket Club 