After three washouts in four weeks, the 2nd XI were fearful when they arrived at Station Ground to the increasingly familiar sight of covers on the pitch. Thankfully proceedings were not delayed & Thors would bowl first after winning the toss.
The hosts lineup:- J.Farley, B.Wakeley, S.Jefferson, D.Baldock, S.Yelverton, J.Baker, J.Meredith+, A.Gibbons, J.Stirling*, I.Daldorph, J.Broom.
Broom struck just four balls into the game, a back of a length ball finding some extra bounce & the glove of opener James Poole & through to Meredith behind the stumps. With an impressive 80 in the return fixture, Thors were delighted to see Poole’s departure just two minutes after the start.
Whilst Gibbons plugged away from the River End, Broom picked up his and Thors’ second with the first ball of his second over, knocking back Newton’s middle peg for 2. Barnstaple 8-2.
Barnstaple had reached 26-2 from 8 overs when the heavens opened & both teams sought refuge in the dressing rooms. Play was interrupted for half an hour & the match was reduced to a 41 over a side affair.
Holm & Roe loitered after the restart despite a couple of close shouts from Gibbons wrapping the latter on the pads. Both were put down with hard chances for Baldock and Yelverton.
Stirling & Daldorph were introduced in a double bowling change & the former made the breakthrough, a rank full toss smashed straight in the air to the grateful Jefferson at midwicket, much to the skipper’s embarrassment; B&P 53-3 after 17.
Jimmer Thomas came to the wicket with more intent than his team mates, he & Rowe taking the score to 70-3 at drinks. Stirling then bowled Rowe for a well-made 40 with the score on 89.
Wakeley replaced Daldorph from the River End & despite being struck for 6 by keeper-batter Fewings, removed him next ball, bowled for his maiden Thorverton wicket. He doubled his account the next ball, bowling the incoming Poole first up & was on a hat-trick. Hastie saw out the hat-trick with a brave leave close to the off-stump. B&P 100-6.
That soon became 101-7 as Stirling had Hastie caught by Broom at mid-off in his last over, finishing with 3-15 from his 9. Broom was reintroduced as Wakeley picked up his third courtesy of an Imogen Daldorph catch; 112-8.
Thomas stuck around with the incoming Bashford to frustrate Thors & the run-rate increased, Thomas passing 50 in the process. The paid put on 49 before Bashford was run out trying to run a single to Broom at mid-off. Number 11 Elnaugh went in the exactly same fashion much to Broom’s delight & B+P were all out for 166 one over short of their allocated overs. Wakeley finishing with 3-40.
After a plentiful Stirling tea, Farley & Wakeley opened the reply which soon got off to a horrendous start, Wakeley caught behind on the pull, courtesy of a great Fewings catch. Jefferson was adjudged LBW to his first legitimate ball & Thors were 7-2 after two.
Elnaugh had his third wicket in his second over, castling Baldock. 17-3.
Shane Yelverton joined a comfortable looking Farley for the rebuild. The pair were patient but found the boundary at regular intervals, taking the score to 45-3 & Thors ahead of the rate after ten, as drizzle persisted & the ground was plunged into a gloomy light for some time.
Despite the darkness, they continued to look comfortable and chanceless as the score was 86-3 at drinks. Yelverton brought up his 50 as Thors looked comfortable at 123-3 after 27, needing 44 from the last 14 overs.
However easy the equation looked, it wasn’t going to be. Farley caught & bowled by Hastie for a well-made 47 that was deserving of a 50.
The incoming Baker was caught at cover for 1 off a leading edge, the Meredith was bowled first ball. Gibbons fell without scoring in the next over & Thors had stumbled from 127-3 to 133-7.
Stirling hung around with Yelverton for a few overs, taking Thors to within 13 required before being adjudged LBW for 5.
A solid looking Daldorph joined Yelverton, the latter finding the boundary in consecutive balls to take the required total to within 5.
A single from Daldorph and a crunched cut shot from Yelverton saw Thors over the line with 5 overs & two wickets to spare, much to the delight of the 2s & the 1st XI, back early from their win at Clyst St George. Yelverton finishing on a fantastic match-winning 80 not out from 83 balls.
The 20 point win sees the 2nd XI leapfrog Budleigh Salterton 2nd XI into the promotion places with three games to play. Next up in the run in is Whimple away, followed by a trip to Exeter & a home fixture against Topsham St James on the final day.
Thorverton Cricket Club 