The Covid Cup reached the half-way stage last night at Thors travelled to the County Ground to take on Exeter. In the absence of Ben Slaviero, Andy Pitt led the team; A.Pitt*, G.Daldorph, B.Coetzee, H.Choules+, D.Baldock, L.Vukusic, A.Davies, S.Tait, J.Stirling, F.Davidson, A.Davidson. Pitt lost the toss and the visitors were asked to field in the hot evening sunshine.
Tait & Vukusic took the new pink ball against Charles Clist and Australian import Eddie Steele, who got off to a flier. 5 Clist boundaries in the first two powerplay overs helped the hosts to 28-0 after the first two overs. Steele managed to find the fence once before pulling Tait to debutant teenager Freddie Davidson who confidently took the catch at backward square leg.
Clist followed with the first ball of Vukusic’s second over – third man brought into the ring left a gap Clist wanted to exploit with a reverse scoop, only to be yorked for an effective 24 from just ten balls. Jeremy Tojy managed a couple of fours off Tait before a change of pace. Coetzee planted over the ropes first ball by Payne, only to cut him straight to Tait who took a good catch above his head at point three balls later. Exeter 67-3 at the end of the powerplay.
Stirling was introduced from the Pavilion End and paid dividends immediately, Nott skying his second ball to Daldorph at long on. Paget managed to clear the ropes off a Coetzee no ball in the 8th over, but Tojy was then bowled by Coetzee for 18 and Exeter were five down after just 7.5.
Coetzee (3-31) had a third with Ryan Paget well stumped by Choules. 94-6 at the halfway mark. Josh Paget continued to score well before being trapped LBW by Freddie Davidson for 35 from 21. Stirling bowled out for 1-24, replaced by debutant Archie Davidson. Brother Freddie (2-20) had another, Rochester patting back a simple caught & bowled; 116-8.
Archie Davidson (2-8) then picked up a deserved couple to finish things off, Emdad stumped by Choules for 4 & Gribble bowled for 8. Exeter 136ao with 19 balls of their allocated overs left.
Pitt & an excited Daldorph opened the chase for Thors, Josh Nott starting things off for the hosts with a bit of a short ball barrage, two of which went to the boundary off Pitt’s bat, one over fine leg for 6. Daldorph struck a couple of boundaries off Emdad, one which very narrowly missed a spectating & blissfully nonchalant sausage dog on the midwicket boundary to take the visitors to 23-0 after two.
The fourth over was highly eventful, Thors losing their first, Daldorph (13 from 10) failing to clear Josh Paget at mid off who confused everyone, including himself by taking the catch one handed above his head, however 26 runs were scored from the set, including a Pitt 6. 55-1 off just four.
The spin of Josh Paget did for Coetzee (4 from 4) which brought Harry Choules to the crease. He patiently left his two balls before getting off the mark by sweeping Paget over the midwicket boundary. 76-2 at the end of the powerplay.
Pitt and Choules confidently rotated the strike and regularly found the boundary, reaching 99-2 at the halfway mark. Captain Pitt passed 50 with a swept 6 off Gribble, before Thors wrapped things up at 8:20pm with seven overs remaining, Pitt (61* off 36) & Choules’ (38* from 29) partnership of 81 coming from just 52 balls.
Next up in the cup is a trip Bradninch & Kentisbeare on Tuesday 2nd July.
Thorverton Cricket Club 