We are pleased to announce that tickets for our Dinner & Dance are now on sale.
The event will take place on 13th November 2021, starting at 18:30. This year it will be held at The Buckerell Lodge Hotel, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4SQ. Tickets are priced at £30 per head and include a three course meal & disco. The menu is below. Dress code is smart.
If you would like to join us for what promises to be an evening of celebration following a successful season for the club, please email seniors@thorvertoncricketclub.com with your menu choices and names of all guests.
Payment can be made by bank transfer to the following account:-
Thorverton CC 30-93-14 01257512
Please put DD followed by your name as a payment reference to allow us to keep track of who has paid.
Our unbeaten Soft Ball Women’s Team (L-R):- Back row:- Juliette Lea, Vanessa Wilson, Tash Carbines, Charli Harlow, Lucy Wells, Keeley Wells Front row:- Lisa May, Sophie Whiteley, Anju Newcombe, Sureka Khan
161 years after formation, Thorverton CC was delighted to play it’s first ever Women’s matches on Sunday and the team were keen to make up for lost time, as Alex Jopling reports.
Lisa May pulls one of the Moorland Maidens bowlers
After just 6 training sessions the newly formed womens team took the trip to Budleigh Salterton on Sunday for their first softball cricket festival.
Two Exmouth sides and a Yelverton/Buckland contingent made up the four-team festival. The format for the day was 16 overs per side, with batting pairs facing 4 overs each. A wicket resulted in 5 runs added to the oppositions total.
Exmouth Fluorescents were first up and, having won the toss, co-captains Keeley and Sophie opted to bat.
Sporting new TCC playing tops, Sophie and Lucy opened the batting and put on 39 for the loss of 2 wickets, Sophie in particular making use of the short boundary and quick outfield.
Juliette and Anju then ran well as a pair to add another 14, again for the loss of 2. Charlie and Sureka were in next and combined big hitting with quick running putting on a brilliant 38 without losing a wicket. Tash and Ness then finished off the innings against some accurate Exmouth bowling and sharp catching to finish on 120 for the loss of 7 wickets.
Sophie Whiteley on the attack
The players kept in their pairs for bowling sets of 4 overs. The first 4 from Tash and Ness were up there with the best of the day as 3 wickets were taken for just 11 runs. Tash’s second over being a double wicket maiden! The Exmouth batters soon got into their stride though and started to find the boundary regularly, scoring 69 from the next 8 overs with just one wicket taken by Juiliette. Having not batted Keeleys first contribution to the game was a wicket, clean bowling the Exmouth batter with her first ball!
Having started on 35 (for their 7 wickets taken) the Exmouth Fluorescents finished on a total of 120, with Thorverton adding 25 (for their 5 wickets taken) to their score of 120 meaning a total of 145.
The second game against Exmouth Blues went in similar fashion.
Keeley Wells takes the aerial route
3 boundaries from Keeley in a partnership of 34 with daughter Lucy got Thorverton off to a good start. Angu and Juliette then put on 40, including two sixes from the latter. Sophie and the newly arrived – and slightly hungover – Lisa lost the first 2 wickets of the game in their first over, a great caught and bowled and and a sharp caught behind from the keeper. The pair soon recovered though and took the second over for 23 – finishing their 4 overs with a partnership of 51. More quick running from Sureka and Charlie including five 2s and a 3, added 45, bringing the total to 171 for the loss of 2 wickets.
In defending a big score saving the boundaries was always important and the bowlers did a good job of it, with the rope being hit only a couple of times through miss-fields. Lucy was the pick of the bowlers taking 1 wicket for just 4 runs from her 2 overs. Charlies catch in the outfield is also worth a mention. A few wides and some clean striking towards the end took Exmouth to 131 (including +10 for wickets) but it was not enough with Thorverton finishing on 186 (including +15 for wickets).
Lucy & Keeley Wells walk off after a partnership of 32
After a BBQ lunch the sun came out and the spectators gathered for the final game against the Moorland Maidens.
Batting first once again Sophie and Lisa opened up and initially found the loopy bowling difficult to get away. They soon found their rhythm though and made a solid 38 for no wickets. Lucy and Keeley were next in and decided to take the hit and run approach, a run-out in their first over did not put them off and they made 32. After a game off batting Ness and Tash put on a good 36 including 4 boundaries. A strong team batting display was finished with 39 from the ever-consistent Sureka and Charlie meaning a total of 145 for the loss of just one wicket.
Anju took the first over and fielded well off her own bowling to run out the non-striker. The Moorland captain then found the boundary 3 times in a row before Anju clean bowled her, prompting a jump for joy! It was a good 43 hit by the first pair of batters but Charlie and Sureka managed to keep the second pair to 29. A wicket first ball from Tash and accurate bowling from Ness reduced the third pair to just 18 runs. In the final 4 overs Lucy once again was hardly hit for a run and Lisa finally got the wicket she deserved, much to her delight! Moorland finished on 126 (including +5 for wickets) to Thorvertons 165 (including +20 for wickets).
Tash Carbines sends one flying to the square leg boundary
It was 3 from 3 then for the day, with clear improvement and enjoyment from all. This is clearly just the start for this team who are planning on entering the womens softball league next season!
A big thank you to Budleigh Salterton CC for hosting the day, Ben Slaviero for umpiring and Alex Jopling for scoring.
The festival at Budleigh Salterton was well attended
The women’s team are looking for a shirt sponsor for 2022 when we hope to play many more fixtures. Please email seniors@thorvertoncricketclub.com if you would like to support the continued growth of Women’s cricket in Thorverton.
We debrief the season with 1st XI captain Jake Choules following the team achieving the B Division and Corinthian Cup double.
So, how’s the head after Saturday?
Surprisingly ok, Saturday was a great night. It was good to see members of all ages celebrating the season. We’ve had a good weekend of celebrations now but I’m already looking forward to building for next season.
Did you imagine that we could’ve achieved the double at the start of the season, especially in your first year of captaincy?
I knew we had the ability in the squad to do it and Andy had built such a solid platform, but we’ve had so many near misses over the last few years in the B Division, I have to admit I wondered if it would ever happen.
Our first league game was rained off and we lost the following one so it felt like an uphill battle from very early on.
With the cup, availability was pretty poor for the pool round so I have to mention the squad that went down to Paignton to get us through. Once we got to the knock outs, I always felt we had a strong chance.
Did you feel with those near misses that we would end up blowing it at the end?
I had some doubts at the start of the season but I felt really confident for the last month or so. Which is really unlike me as I normally get nervous before games.
B Division Champions 2021
What’s been the difference this year in comparison to other seasons?
There’s no doubt we’ve got a stronger squad. The additions of Dan Robbins, Alex Jopling and Tom Diamond have been massive. Harry Choules playing this season has been like a new signing as well.
I’ve had to make around 3 changes every week due to availability but due to the strength of the squad, it really hasn’t shown. Young players like Luke Vukusic, George Daldorph and Bobby Heard have had chances to gain more experience in the 1s which bodes well for the future.
Who’ve been the standout performers?
Possibly a cop out answer, but the pleasing thing about the season is that different games have seen different stand out performers. It really has been a team effort.
“It really has been a team effort”
What was the most pleasing all-round team performance of the season?
There’s been a few but Heathcoat away felt like a turning point. We ground out 170 batting first when the weather wasn’t great. Chilly (Alistair Chilcott) scored 50 but the rest of the runs were about batting in partnerships.
Then our bowling unit combined to defend it despite a couple of dangerous knocks from them. We used 7 bowlers that day showing that everyone had an input.
Ipplepen at home is probably worth a mention as well. They were promotion rivals and everything we did in the field worked as we bowled them out for 69 and knocked them off after 5.2 overs
What’s been your favourite moment of the season?
1lb. 6. 4nb. 6. 1. 1.
That winning over in the Corinthian Cup final and the subsequent celebrations. One to go down in Thorvy history.
The Skipper enjoys a drink from the Corinthian Cup
And the funniest?
That’s a tough one. There are probably a few that shouldn’t be put in the public domain.
Now I look back, probably Darren’s dancing and singing during the last few overs of finals day.
I’ve no doubt there will be numerous funny moments on the fines trip to Cardiff.
Are you confident that the club can compete at A Division level?
It’s not going to be easy but I don’t think we have anything to fear. We can go and enjoy our cricket at some fantastic and new grounds (for most of us) and see where we end up.
I think the target should be survival with a focus on getting the 2nds up to the D.
What needs to happen on and off the field to achieve that?
I don’t think we need to go out and look to make a load of signings. Maybe 1 or 2 including an overseas (covid and accommodation permitting) combined with better availability will be enough. If there is better availability in the 1s, this will naturally follow into the 2nds.
Fingers crossed for fewer weddings next year!
Where do you think the club can go long term?
The most important thing is the club keeps offering cricket to the community. The colts set up is great but we need to make sure we secure this for the future. It was great to launch ladies cricket again this summer so hopefully thst can continue.
If we do this along whilst having a 1st XI playing a good standard of cricket then great.
Thorverton Cricket Club 