There were league debuts for University of Exeter students Sam Hardwicke & Nick Chaplin as the 1st XI made the trip to Torquay to take on newly promoted Barton. The team in full: A.Pitt, L.Vukusic, N.Chaplin, S.Yelverton, H.Choules+, G.Daldorph, D.Robbins, B.Heard, S.Hardwicke, B.Slaviero, J.Choules*.
Ex Abbotskerswell captain Nick Watkin won the toss for the hosts and put Thorverton into bat. Pitt and Vukusic got off to a good start, rotating the strike and finding the boundary with relative ease in the opening exchanges. Disaster struck in the 5th over when neither opener could deal with balls that kept low and Thors found themselves 33-2.
Chaplin got off the mark with a boundary before leaving a straight one, then Harry Choules came and went with the pitch now showing signs of misbehaviour at both ends. Hardwicke was promoted up the order to attempt a rebuild with Yelverton as the total reached 44-5 after 10.
Yelverton fell to the lowest ball so far when he was bowled after the powerplay which brought about Daldorph for the counter attack. He used his feet well to take the attack to the hosts and attempt to put the bowlers off their stride. However, wickets fell at the other end when Hardwicke was caught after drinks despite a patient effort, then Robbins went LBW first ball.
With the score 50-7 the writing seemed to be on the wall but George now started to get going despite Heard also coming and going at the other end. It looked like he might run out of partners but Slaviero had other ideas, the pair finding the boundary regularly in the middle overs. The duo put on 35 before George fell for 21 with the total on exactly 100.
The skipper joined Slaviero for the last wicket, showing his usual patience while Slaviero steadily accumulated at the other end. This was to the frustration of the hosts who aided the Thorverton cause with increased extras and loose balls. Slaviero showed no signs of jet lag after a month in Australia as he punished anything loose, staying patient otherwise. The partnership lasted six and a half overs before Slaviero (31) eventually fell LBW to another low ball but Thors felt in the game with a score of 130.
With 18 and a half overs unbowed, there was a swift turnaround with tea to be taken in 15 overs time. Thors knew early wickets would be key and after a steady start Needham holed out to Vukusic at cover to give Daldorph just that. Slaviero followed up next over when Watkin skied one to Heard at third man – a crucial wicket given the match winning knocks Watkin was known for in his Abbots days.
There was relief in Daldorph’s next over when opener Last was put down at mid wicket before succumbing LBW 2 balls later. Not to be outdone and seemingly cheered on by the Plainmoor drum, Slaviero had another big wicket when ex skipper Parker was cleaned up. Barton 19-4 and game on.
Eaves and the experienced Shelton showed patience as tea approached but the introduction of Yelverton gave Thors a 5th before the break. The score reaching 32-5 at tea.
The Barton patience didn’t last long after tea when Bowker had his head in the air and Yelverton made a mess of his stumps. Hardford joined the stubborn Shelton but Thors kept things tight as a few wicketless overs ticked by. It took a stunning one handed caught and bowled from Slaviero to break the partnership with the score now 46-7 and Barton on the brink.
Hardwicke had a deserved wicket next over before Barton reached the first batting point at the halfway stage. Sam had a taste for it now though and removed the Number 10 LBW in the 28th.
Thors had to be patient for the final wicket as the skipper rotated his bowlers trying to prize it. The Number 11 showed some attacking intent but perhaps unsurprisingly it was Slaviero (4-14) that cleaned him up in the end.
Thors win by 58 runs and are off the mark on the opening day. Thanks go to Jess Morrish in the scorebox and our hosts for the hospitality.
Next week the 1s have their first game at Station Ground when Hatherleigh are the visitors. A different sort of test on offer with Hatherleigh also winning on the opening day, chasing down 287.
Thorverton Cricket Club 