There were 2 changes to the first XI hoping to end the winless run at home to Kilmington: A.Pitt, D.Robbins, L.Vukusic, B.Coetzee, H.Choules+, G.Daldorph, D.Baldock, S.Jefferson, B.Slaviero, A.Jopling, J.Choules*.
After improved performances with the bat last week and in mid week, the skipper elected to bat at the toss. There was life in the pitch early on and some movement in the air before the clouds cleared. Ollie Reed in particular made things happen for the hosts and got one to nip back and clip the bails to remove Pitt 3rd over after Robbins got off the mark with a pull for 4 the previous over. There were a couple more boundaries for Robbins while Rockett struggled to find his areas but eventually Reed removed him too when the opener was unlucky to play on. The score 18-2 when Coetzee joined Vukusic at the crease.
The pair rebuilt well, rotating the strike and finding the boundary regularly enough when the spin of change bowlers Seaward and Crabb was introduced. Another pull for 4, this time from Vukusic, brought the total to a solid 67-2 at the first (17 overs) drinks break. The pair continued steadily and moved into the 30s as the visitors rotated their bowling and Thors approached 3 figures at the halfway stage. Vukusic fell just before the milestone, however, for a well made 39 when he was trapped LBW by Garner. The wicket didn’t halt Thors steady progress though as Choules joined Coetzee and continued to rotate the strike and punish any bad balls.
The visitors re-introduced strike bowler Reed to try to break the partnership but it was to no avail with the strike continuing to rotate and Choules getting away some well timed drives. A well run 3 gave Coetzee his half century in the same period as the total reached 130-3 with 17 overs to bowl.
Crabb thought he had Coetzee caught behind soon after when one turned and bounced but the South African eventually fell to Garner when he holed out to mid off. Choules then became the aggressor as Daldorph was able to play himself in and the score ticked into the 160s going into the final 10.
There was plenty of joy for the increasingly familiar partnership in the closing overs with the boundary being found regularly by both. Choules brought up his half century in the 45th and the 200 came up the following over which allowed the pair to free the arms even more. A pull for 6 from Choules followed by a wristy flick for 4 from Daldorph were signs of great Thors momentum. The latter was eventually caught and bowled by Seaward for a more than useful 36 as veteran Baldock joined Choules for the closing stages.
A slap over mid on by Choules for 6 more followed up by a Baldock cut for 4 brought Thors close to full batting points in the final over. Choules (85) finished the job with 2 6s into the field before being caught last ball as the hosts finished 252-6.
Thors supporters would have been pleased to see the opening bowling partnership of Slaviero and Daldorph return after tea albeit the ever aggressive Gooding found the boundary a few times early on. However, he went once too many when he sliced one to point off of Daldorph and Jopling eventually juggled it in. George was very much back, albeit on a shorter run up, when he removed opposition overseas Whelan caught and bowled as the score reached 33-2 at the end of the opening powerplay. That became 33-3 when Slaviero cleaned up Rockett next over to put the hosts very much on top.
Robbins kept things tight when he replaced Slaviero as Daldorph continued to bowl through on an ever decreasing run up. At drinks the score was 42-3. After the break, the visitors upped the attacking intent but not without casualty when another Rockett holed out to Coetzee at mid on off of Robbins. 72-4 became 85-4 at the halfway point with incoming left hander Seaward timing the ball well from the outset.
Jopling was bowling with great control at the River End and had his rewards when a frustrated Garner picked out Daldorph at long on and a wrongun removed Fuzzard the very next ball. 100-6 became 100-7 when the skipper bowled Reed with his first ball at the Pavilion End.
The 8th wicket partnership was a frustrating one for Thors as the Killy attention appeared to turn to bonus points rather than the chase while Seaward and Olive rotated well but without risk. The former passing his half century shortly after being put down by the captain in a perhaps too simple caught and bowled chance. It wasn’t to prove too costly though when the left hander picked out Robbins at mid off a few overs later and Thors finally had the breakthrough. Kilmington 138-8 with 10 to go.
Slaviero was introduced hoping to clean things up but Olive and youngster Trott negotiated the onslaught of quick bowling well and Olive began to find the boundary in the latter stages as Thors searched for the final wickets with attacking fields and rotating bowlers. With Slavs bowled out, Robbins got the job done with help from a smart catch by Harry Choules running in front of square and 4 and out from Crabb at number 11 just as Jefferson was primed to bowl the final over.
Thors pick up maximum points and jump back up to 6th in the 10 team division, leapfrogging Kilmington.
Thorverton Cricket Club 