At the halfway point in the Devon League season the 1s hosted top of the table Exeter.
The team:
A.Pitt, D.Robbins, G.Greed, J.Geraghty, H.Choules, G.Daldroph, B.Coe, S.Jefferson, B.Slaviero, A.Jopling, J.Choules.
With a bit of cloud cover and last week still fresh in the mind the skipper elected to bowl at the toss.
Slaviero and Daldorph kept things extremely tight from their usual ends with the score only reaching 21-1 after 6 overs a piece. Daldorph with the wicket of Abrahams caught in the gully for 0. The pair were unfortunate not to have more when a couple of chances behind went down.
Jopling and Choules were the change bowlers and Exeter’s overseas player Edwards & Devon’s Sam Read looked to increase the scoring rate.
Jopling removed Read LBW for 20 right on the stroke of the first drinks break – 45-2.
Charles Clist came in with a clear instruction to increase the rate and gave a number of chances before finally being caught on the rope by Andy Pitt off of Jopling for 25.
After 6 overs from Choules who had struggled with the breeze, Pitt then replaced him at the river end and at the halfway point the total was 100-3.
A jaffer from Pitt in the 30th over dislodged Mcabe’s off stump which brought Buckingham to the crease. He batted sensibly with opener Edwards who passed his 50 with relative ease.
Once a good Jopling spell was over (2-32), Choules was reintroduced, this time from the Pavilion End. With 15 to go another drink was taken as the score reached 131-4. Thorverton restricting Exeter will but the table toppers with set batters and wickets in hand.
Thors sought to disrupt Exeter’s plans the period after drinks with some 1 and 2 over spells. Pitt removed Buckingham for 23 as the score was 157-5 going into the final 10.
The new man Felix Joseph showed some aggression using his feet against Pitt and Slaviero in particular before a mix up had Edwards run out for a very well made 95. Daldorph (3-30) bowled Joseph the very next ball before cleaning up opposition captain Joe Gore to secure the ‘team hat trick’.
There were no boundaries in the final couple of overs but some good running gave Exeter a decent score of 226-8.
The talk at tea was that the score was around par or just under but either way Thors would need to bat well. It started promisingly when 11 was taken off of Gore’s opening over with the help from some extras.
Robbins left a straight one off of Royal Navy colleague Pete Hensor the very next over, however, and Thors were 16-1 after 2.
George Greed looked in fine touch, getting off the mark with a boundary and going on to strike a 4 for 4 overs in a row. He and Pitt rotated as well while Exeter continued to serve up some extras giving us 42-1 from 6.
Despite it still being the first powerplay, Exeter turned to the spin of Buckingham and Read who despite leaking some boundaries early, did pose more of a threat to Thors.
Greed was unlucky to play on in the 10th over for 34 with the total now on 68-2. Pitt survived a couple of big appeals shortly after before eventually being given LBW off of Buckingham for 20 in the 14th.
Geraghty and H. Choules calmly kept the score ticking over as we reached 116-3 at halfway. Slightly ahead of Exeter at the same stage.
With Buckingham and Read bowled out Exeter stuck with spin which continued to stifle free flowing run scoring, albeit Choules did take Mcabe for 10 in an over including a 6 into the road.
With 20 to go Thors required 92 to win which felt like a good position against the city side. However with Joe Gore back into the attack for the visitors, disaster struck with Choules being adjudged LBW on 34 and Geraghty (48) getting one that misbehaved the very next over.
Despite the significant setbacks, Thors were still in a reasonable position at 157-5 with 12 to go but the less said about the response the better. McCabe and Jarman cleaned up the rest of the order as we ended 167AO, not using 7 overs.
The skipper concluded:
“Thought it was a really good game of cricket that was tighter than the scorecard reflects. Harry and Jack were going really well and we were in a great position until we were unlucky to lose both of them in consecutive overs. The less said about what happened afterwards the better!”
Thors remain 6th in the table but will be anxious for some wins as the bottom sides close the points gaps. Spirits in the camp remain high however, helped by a successful iPod shuffle night.
Thanks to Isaac in the score box, Maria for teas and the various volunteers at the social.
Next week the 1s host Plymouth who have an almost identical record to Thorverton this term.
Thorverton Cricket Club 