Pre-season stepped up a gear after last week’s intra-club when a strong University of Exeter XI visited Station Ground.
Thors gave a run out to 13 players including a return to Station Ground for former overseas player Brendan Coetzee who is now studying in the UK. Squad: A. Pitt, N. Buckeridge, B. Coetzee, H. Choules+, F. Fenner, A. Daldorph, E. Vukusic, A. Khogiani, B. Slaviero, S. Rahmani, A. Jopling, H. Choules*.
The skipper negotiated the toss to bowl first with Slaviero and Khogiani both coming close with LBW shouts early on. Tharaneetharan, who plays his club cricket at Exeter, was the aggressor for the visitors as he punished anything too full down the ground. Once he played himself in, opposition skipper Trees joined the assault, taking a liking to the change bowling of Jopling and Risdon with the teenager having the tough task of defending the short leg side boundary.
Despite some half chances for Thors, UoE raced to 90-0 from 13 overs. The skipper brought himself into the attack and removed Tharaneetharan second ball with safe hands from Jopling at cover. Risdon found some rhythm before being replaced by Erin Vukusic who had been released by Somerset for the day. The pair kept things under 5 an over in the middle overs as the score reached 149-1 with 15 to go.
Slaviero was re-introduced as Thors continued to claw things back, striking twice in his first over back including cleaning up Trees for a well made 73. Rahmani also kept things tight from the River End and had a deserved wicket in the 30th over. UoE 166-4 with 10 to go.
Fenner and Jopling had the task of closing out with the former striking early as the Uni sought to accelerate. Things became easier when Fenner removed Holbrook for a run a ball 31 as Pitt had opportunity to turn the arm over in the spring sun. There was a 3rd Fenner wicket before the innings closed at 229-7.
A challenging chase became tougher after tea when Pitt was cleaned up by Ridge first ball by a swinging yorker that you’d rather avoid in pre-season. Coetzee had a more favourable start when he punished 2 full tosses through the offside but he also fell 1st over to one that didn’t bounce as much as he hoped.
Incoming H. Choules and teenager Buckeridge re-built against relatively tight opening spells. Choules began to find some rhythm, driving well through point and cover before Buckeridge was unlucky to play on and Fenner repeated the feat next ball to give Ridge 4 early wickets. Thors reeling at 34-4.
Andy Daldorph, fresh off a flight from visiting son George in Canada, re-built solidly as Choules continued to punish anything loose. The pair ran well and the total reached 76-4 at halfway before Andy fell for 18 in the 21st.
Vukusic looked solid before getting caught in the leg side trying to accelerate. Choules then passed his half century working left arm spinner Jack Groves into the offside. Jack – who is signed on to play for Thorverton and expected to debut at Bradninch next week, removed Choules next over though. With Khogiani coming and going at the other end, Thors were on the brink at 96-8.
The tail attempted to wag, Rahmani (14*) finding the boundary a couple of times but ultimately Thors were all out for 123.
Choules concluded:
“A really valuable run out against a strong side which I hope was a good experience for some of our younger players and those on the fringes of the 1s squad. Shak and Erin impressed with the ball and fielding was decent for this stage of the season. I felt 220 was about par but the chase was always going to be tough after losing a couple early. Good to see H find some early form.”
Next week pre-season comes to a close with a double header against Bradninch and Kentisbeare.
Thorverton Cricket Club 