The 2nd XI travelled to the University Ground to take on fellow 2022 promotees Topsham St James as the DCL season reached the halfway point.
For the second week in a row, Jack Stirling lost the toss & Thors would be fielding first. The 2nd XI lineup:- L.Vukusic, A.Daldorph, H.Squire, D.Baldock, P.Stirling+, J.Baker, J.Porter, B.Heard, A.Gibbons, J.Stirling, E.Vukusic.
Gibbons & E.Vukusic started the game quietly bowling to the opening pair of Sapwell & Wardell. The openers ran some good singles and crept their way towards a 50 opening stand.
Heard & L.Vukusic came on in a double bowling change which paid off immediately with Wardell smashing a full toss from Heard down L.Vukusic’s throat at deep-midwicket. 50-1. New man Perry followed shortly after as the roles were reversed, Vukusic finding some extra bounce to square the batter up & the ball looped up to Heard in the gully.
Croxall hung around with Sapwell as the hosts meandered to 86-1 at drinks. Sapwell followed immediately after the break, captain Stirling with some sharp turn & bounce finding the good hands of Baldock at slip via the Topsham captain’s glove.
Heard had a second when Croxall spooned him to Henry Squire at cover, before finishing with figures of 2-36. Topsham 105-4.
The wickets tally went up before the run tally as Stirling (3-26) was chipped by Jenkins to Daldorph at mid-on. Incoming Smalley did the same to Porter at extra cover & Topsham were struggling at 110-6.
Luke Vukusic returned & broke the eccentric resistance of Ahmadzai who chipped him to J.Stirling at mid off. Two balls later he clean bowled Armstrong without troubling the scorers, finishing with 3-42. Topsham 131-8.
Khalid Khan joined the determined Williams but only lasted 7 balls before skying the returning Erin Vukusic to P.Stirling for 11. Last man Smalley had his stumps rearranged by Henry Squire’s first ball of the match & Topsham were all out for 155.
Luke Vukusic & Andy Daldorph opened the reply & Thors got off to a flier taking 70 off the first ten overs, mainly thanks to a stream of Vukusic boundaries, ably supported by Daldorph who was taking a rare supporting role.
The score reached 71 as Vukusic brought up his half-century, but departed straight after, chopping on to J.Smalley. Vukusic’s impressive 50 from 39 balls with 9 fours and a six. Daldorph then departed on the same total, patting spinner Wardell back into his hands. 72-2.
Thors then looked to have instigated a collapse as Wardell bowled Squire without scoring.
A patient Paul Stirling assisted the more freescoring Baldock to take the momentum back towards the visitors. The latter found the boundary at regular intervals.
Stirling then departed, caught at slip for a watchful 5 from 35. Baker assumed his supporting role as Baldock passed 50 for the second time this term.
Baker was bowled for 7 with the scores level, before Baldock hit the winning runs, finishing 67* from 51 balls, with nine fours & two maximums.
The result sees the 2nd XI move to the summit of the D Division East by one point at the halfway point of the season. Thors travel to take on Upottery next who sit 5th in the table but just 5 points behind in a congested league table.
Thorverton Cricket Club 