The 2nd XI would be glad to see the back of July after three consecutive rain affected games; the last two matches had been completely washed out. Before Thors could say good riddance to July’s weather, it finally gave some respite at the 2s welcomed bottom-placed Feniton to Station Ground.
Stirling in a traditional manner, lost the toss & Feniton elected to bowl on a wicket that had a tinge of green. The hosts XI:- J.Farley, A.Daldorph, B.Wakeley, D.Baldock, H.Squire, B.Heard, J.Baker, P.Stirling+, A.Gibbons, J.Stirling*, J.Broom.
Farley & Daldorph set about their opening partnership which didn’t last long; Farley chopping Davies onto his leg stump in the second over & trudging back with more than ample time to assist his mother with teas. 3–1.
Billy Wakeley, making his first appearance for the twos was soon back with Farley, an expansive drive finding the edge & flying into Salter’s hands for a great snaffle at first slip. 20-2 after just four overs bowled.
Baldock & Daldorph continued the good scoring rate, the latter the beneficiary of three dropped catches to take the host’s recovery to 71-2 after 15 overs. Daldorph brought up yet another fifty with a single in the 19th over, before Pyle knocked him over for 58. Baldock followed the over after, also bowled by Perryman for 45. 119-4 at the drinks break.
Squire was the victim of the fourth bowled in the innings, departing for 4. Bobby Heard hung around with Jack Baker with the youngsters running well. A partnership of 36 was brought to a close when Heard was bowled by Lilley for 17. 160-6.
Paul Stirling was bowled for one & with Alex Gibbons being castled to his first legitimate ball, Thors had collapsed from 113-2 to 169-8.
Stirling loitered with a comfortable looking Baker for his 10 before a leading edge to cover. Broom was last man out without troubling the scorers, Baker 24*. Thors 187ao & spent the tea break ruing missing out on full batting points whilst tucking into a traditionally fantastic Farley tea.
Broom took the new ball from his favoured pavilion end & didn’t set the tone the hosts were looking for when the first ball was short & wide and ended up in the extras column. The second ball was also short & wide and cut hard by opener Stone in the gap behind gully, or so it appeared, until a leaping Billy Wakeley plucked the ball one handed with his left mitt, reminiscent of Joe Root’s stunner in the ongoing Ashes test. 0-1.
Broom & the accompanying Gibbons kept things tight & Broom was rewarded with another, bowling Bright for 4. 12-2.
Davies hung around for 4 overs but suffered the same fate at the hands of Broom & Thors had take the ascendancy with Feniton 33-3.
Heard replaced the tiring Broom from the pavilion end, whilst Gibbons continued & finally got his reward for his tight line & length, bowling Phillips for ten. He made it two in his following over, Salter finding the hands of Wakeley in the gully & the visitors were in trouble at 49-5 after 14.
Stirling replaced Gibbons (2-23) from the river end & Heard was replaced by Henry Squire. Stirling bowled Pyle for 15 just before drinks; Feniton 78-6.
Squire sent Kingdon’s middle peg cartwheeling halfway back to Paul Stirling behind the stumps two balls after drinks. Stirling then had Lilley caught behind by brother Paul without scoring & Feniton were on the brink at 78-8.
Broom was reintroduced in search of his 5fa but the nearest he got was a dropped catch at point & he finished his 9 overs with 3-25. Stirling took himself off after figures of 2-23, with Baker replacing him.
A quiet spell of play saw Mortimer & Perryman hang around for the visitors with a slow scoring rate. The ten over partnership of 26 was finally broken by Squire, bowling Mortimer for 3 from 24. Squire finishing with impressive figures of 2-6 from 5 overs. Baker finally finished things off with the score on 118, Perryman the last man to go after snicking him to Baldock at first slip.
The 19 point win & results elsewhere sees Thors rise into the promotion places with 5 games to play in a tight D Division East. Next up for the 2s is a trip to 7th placed Clyst Hydon.
Thorverton Cricket Club 