Post date: Jun 4, 2012 2:11:12 PM
After a disappointing result last week to Topsham, the 1st XI were looking to bounce back against Tiverton and Bickleigh. On a day when rain was a strong possibility, the pitch could not have been much drier.
Once again winning the toss, Briddy took the field. Dan, opening up the bowling along with Tom, found the edge numerous times early on but the ball failed to carry and ran away to the boundary. However persistence led to the breakthrough with the younger Fog trapping their opener in front. Jopling took over from where Dan had left off, taking two wickets in quick succession. The skipper was his usual consistent self, whilst at the other end Jopling and then MacDougall, who could not follow up his four wickets from last week, were punished for some wayward bowling. This brought Ewen into the attack, and he immediately made the breakthrough. Their number 4 batsman, having reached 50, had to depart after being through the shot too soon, dollying an easy catch to Ian at mid wicket. The hutch was now open and following a sharp catch from Gavin at slip off Ewen (3-8) and a well executed slower ball from Jutson (3-31), Tom Fog returned to take the last wicket and Tiverton collapsed for 156.
With a target of 157 to win and with over 50 overs to get it in, it was a matter of keeping wickets as we knew the runs would come, even though we feared the rain would as well! The opening pair of Jacko and the experienced and ever reliable Mark Fog, made a good start reaching 40 for no loss. However with pace on the ball Jack was caught easily at cover. Drakey dispatched his 4th ball for four but was then caught at gully off a ball that just got away from him. Sam was then clean bowled by a ball he did not seem to pick, bringing Tom Fog to the crease. The father and son pair once again steadied the ship before Tom was well caught behind by a short ball that appeared to hit his forearm and then shoulder, rather than glove. Gav, Ian and James all fell in quick succession and the opposition had the wind in their sails. However, not for the first time, skipper Jutson (39no) came in at 9 and quickly got us back in the driving seat. Solid defence combined with picking the bad balls, not to forget a few swings outside the off stump, took us ever closer to the target. Mark (55no), who had not had much of the strike since the arrival of Jutson, capped a fine 50 but more importantly brought the team home to a very pleasing win.