The 2nd XI made their longest trip of the season on Saturday away at Barnstaple. With steady rain on Saturday morning that hadn’t cleared before 1pm, the start was delayed until 1:30pm, with a 41 over game to be played. Jack Stirling won the toss & elected to bowl under grey skies.
Thors line up:- A.Daldorph, J.Farley, J.Porter+, D.Baldock, B.Heard, J.Baker, C.Winzer, E.Heard, J.Stirling*, A.Gibbons, S.Tait
The opening pair of Gibbons & Tait set to work and found early lateral movement & kept things tight. Tait was the first to strike, removing Tapp, caught by Winzer at cover after pushing too hard on the drive. He struck again in his third over, Roe strangled down the leg side & caught at short fine leg by Gibbons.
Gibbons then got in on the act himself with probably the best delivery we’ll see all season. Swinging away & seaming back in from a length, Roe was castled middle & off shouldering arms & Thors were sensing blood at 25-3.
Tait continued and deservedly removed Fewings caught behind well by Porter & Barnstaple had slumped to 34-4 after the first ten overs.
With a reduced bowling allocation for all but one bowler, a double bowling change was made as Eliza Heard & Stirling replaced the new ball pair. Stirling struck with his second ball, Tapp failing to tap it over Gibbons at mid off & the hosts were 45-5.
James Poole joined namesake Tom for the hosts & immediately went on the counter attack & just 19 minutes later had brought up their fifty partnership from just 32 balls, courtesy of some strong hitting & good running by both.
The onslaught continued & number 7 Tom Poole brought up his 50 from just 22 balls. By the time the 13 over partnership had been broken by the returning Gibbons, Poole was out for 78 from 37 and Barnstaple had bludgeoned their way from 45-5 to 169-6.
James Poole went past 50 & was ably supported by the captain Cole as Barnstaple passed full batting points. Following a ball being exchanged for the bar of soap Thors had been bowling with, the runs slightly tightened up £ Eliza Heard caught and bowled Poole for a well made 80.
Cole passed 50 and remained there at the close, the only other wicket to fall was Bashford, bowled B.Heard for 3. The hosts with a miraculous recovery to 252-8.
Farley & Daldorph opened the reply as the sun came out. Daldorph the first man to go, clean bowled by an inswinging yorker from Elnaugh for 5.
Porter then departed, coughing up a pull shot to mid on for six, before Baldock nicked off first ball to leave Thors 28-3 in the chase. Farley & Heard also fell shortly after to reduce us to 38-5.
Winzer came and went before Baker & E.Heard offered some relative stability for a handful of overs before Heard departed for 8 from 21. Skipper Stirling lasted only three balls and Thors had collapsed to a paltry 58-8.
Baker & the incoming Gibbons managed to take Thors past a second batting point with a steady run rate. The partnership lasted 13 overs before Gibbons fell for 26 to leave the visitors on the brink at 110-9.
Tait joined Baker with the added amusement of Porter as runner. Baker smashed 10 from the next three balls to take Thors past 120 and a third batting point.
Porter (running for Tait) was then run out coming back for two & Thors were all out for 121, Jack Baker left unbeaten on 42 from 57.
Skipper Jack Stirling “Stu and Alex were great with the new ball & Jack looked great for his 42*, but other than that a very bad day at the office. Just one of those days mother cricket wasn’t on our side. Fair play to Tom Poole, I can’t say I’ve seen too many 22 ball 50s in the Devon League & it completely changed the game. We pick ourselves up and aim to continue to hang around in mid-table for the rest of the season”.
Next up for the 2s is two home games in two weeks, against Whimple 1st XI & Exeter 2nd XI
Thorverton Cricket Club 