The sun was out and an unchanged 1st XI made it to Abbotskerswell hoping to make it 3 wins from 3.
After his customary toss win the skipper elected to bat. Things started badly when a half hearted appeal had Pitt given caught behind down the leg side off of Hussain.
Hussain in particular got the ball to spit and move off of the pitch on what looked to be a difficult batting track, much to the amusement of some.
Robbins and Chilcott appeared to have weathered the early storm, however, finding the boundary regularly off of the other opener, James Tyler. This was until Hussain found Chilly’s edge.
Robbins continued positively and after the first Powerplay the score reached 53-2. The hosts struck again immediately after when Robbins went LBW for 38.
Another rebuild was in order as Geraghty and H. Choules batted sensibly on the increasingly difficult wicket. They turned the strike over well and were aided by a few extras from the hosts.
The pair put on 50 as the score reached 102-3 until Choules holed out to mid off and then Daldorph went the very next ball. The balance tipping back into Abbots favour just as Thors were looking to take charge.
Things went from bad to worse when Geraghty was 6 and out the next over – caught behind trying to cut.
Wickets fell at regular intervals from here, Ben Coe the only batter to show some resistance with a patient 16 not out. He ran out of partners though and Thors were 142 all out – 8 short of a 3rd batting point.
After tea, the usual opening bowling pair of Slaviero and Daldorph got to work and their pace had the pitch looking even more tricky. Balls spat off of good lengths and jagged in all directions, at times even the fielders were concerned for the batters welfare. The opening pair wore it well for the hosts though, particularly Aussie overseas Jack Neylon despite some loose shots on occasions that on another day may have found the outside edge.
Slaverio eventually had a wicket in the 9th over, catching and bowling Hard for 1 off of 22 balls.
The Abbots skipper entered the middle for the hosts and he and Neylon continued to be patient, wearing a few where necessary. They had a bit more joy from the change bowling partnership of Jopling and Pitt, finding the boundary on a couple of occasions.
At the first drinks the score was 68-1 and Thors had a lot to do. The skipper introduced himself and kept things generally tight whilst a change of ends for Daldroph, also keeping things tight, brought about a good but almost fruitless spell for the visitors.
Daldorph eventually had a deserved wicket at around the halfway point with the score on 87-2, removing Watkin with a jaffa. He also went close to removing the Aussie, the closest being a decent LBW shout on the back leg.
Once Daldorph was bowled out there was a burst from Slaviero but in the meantime Neylon found the boundary a couple of times off of Choules, passing his 50 as the total reached 116-2.
Wakeley was then introduced for his first spell for the club and showed some encouraging turn with an attacking field. Jopling had a wicket in his first over back thanks to a stunning grab by Harry Choules, one handed.
The key man, Neylon, was still there though and it was a matter of time before he got his team over the line.
Thors well beaten and slip from 4th to 6th in the 10 team table. It’s 2 home games next against city sides Exeter (top) and Plymouth (5th).
Thorverton Cricket Club 