The 1st XI were unchanged from the win over Hatherleigh last week as last season’s runners up, Bridestowe & Belstone, visited Station Ground. Team: L. Vukusic, D. Robbins, A. Kingdon, S. Yelverton, H. Choules+, G. Daldorph, S. Jefferson, B. Heard, B. Slaviero, A. Jopling, J. Choules*.
In his 200th 1st XI appearance, the skipper lost the toss and his opposite number elected to bowl. It looked like a good decision from the outset when Robbins fell LBW in the first over. Skipper Tallan Burns and Tom Fogerty bowled tightly for their club as Vukusic and Kingdon patiently built in the early exchanges but Vukusic was caught behind in the 8th over to leave Thors 14-2.
As the powerplay drew to a close, Kingdon started to flow, timing a couple of drives to the boundary. The increased pressure brought about some extras allowing Thors to finally get going. However, progress stalled again when Kingdon (20) chipped one back to Harrison from the youngster’s first ball. Incoming Harry Choules went next over, unlucky to play-on from a full toss. A troubling start at 48-4.
After the 17 over drink break, Daldorph sought to bring the attack to the visitors with some foot movement but was undone when Harrison got one to move in the air for his second wicket of the day. Yelverton was steadily accumulating from the other end, finding the boundary from Penberthy’s extra pace in particular, but things went from bad to worse when Jefferson came and went – Thors now 64-6.
Heard joined Yelverton who despatched a loose ball out of the ground but couldn’t repeat the feat next over when he didn’t connect with another short ball, leaving him caught for 26. Bridestowe tails would have been up at 80-7 but Slaviero supported Heard patiently as the pair ticked the scoreboard along in the middle overs. The 100 came up with 17 overs to go as attention moved to the 3rd batting point (150). It looked a tough ask when Slaviero was caught for 14 a couple of covers later but Jopling was dogged in his defence against his old club.
The Number 10 and Heard frustrated the visitors and were able to free the arms more when seam was reintroduced. With Thors 121-8 with 10 to go, the partnership went from strength to strength in the closing stages with the third batting point coming up in the 48th over as Heard added another single to his tally. Jopling made a useful 12 from 41 balls before he had to go in the penultimate over, caught on the rope trying to get on with things.
A couple of singles between the incoming skipper and Heard meant the youngster would be on strike for the final Glasgow over. After a swiftly run 2, Heard clubbed two switch hits in a row over point to add 8 more to the tally. He couldn’t make it three from three and a single left Choules on strike. He also moved around his crease but could only manage 1 before Heard (37) was caught on the final ball – Thors recovering to 167 all out from exactly 50 overs.
After tea, Slaviero got to grips with the breeze but still caused problems early, as did Daldorph who scalped Ewen caught at second slip thanks to a smart grab by Yelverton. Now in their rhythm, the Thors openers beat the bat regularly and when catches went down in the slips just as regularly, the filling Station Ground might have wondered if it would be one of those days.
Eventually Slaviero removed P. Penberthy to open an end up before Daldorph had another to dismiss Hatton next over. A good start for Thors as Bridestowe reached 24-3 after 10 but with overseas star Glasgow in with the skipper, Thors felt there was a long way to go. The pair were controlled but struggled to rotate the strike until Glasgow moved across his stumps to the change bowling of Yelverton who wrapped the pads – 28-4.
Jopling kept things extremely tight at the River End while Shane continued to cause problems. The South African had another big wicket when Burns edged behind to Harry Choules. Bridestowe remained defensive and it was another 5 overs before Yelverton struck again – Sam Jefferson making no mistake at cover.
Despite his 3rd wicket, the skipper replaced the tiring Yelverton and continued to keep things tight in tandem with Jopling. Jops eventually had a deserved wicket when Woods finally holed out to Robbins at mid off for 6 from 43 balls. With the visitors now 51-7, the spin duo tidied things up in quick succession via safe hands from Vukusic and a smart grab down the leg side from Harry Choules. The final wicket fittingly went to Choules when he bowled Mallett to round off his 200th appearance.
Thors pick up 18 points and remain 2nd in the A Division with the top 3 all winning. Third placed Hatherleigh joined the iPod shuffle event for a few celebratory drinks on their way home from Cullompton – with 6 games to go, both clubs are holding off saying the P word for now.
Next week Thors are back on the road as we visit 4th placed Bovey Tracey in what is expected to be a tough test.
Thorverton Cricket Club 