Post date: Sep 1, 2013 6:09:10 PM
After the win last week we were now 10 points above relegation but not completely safe. We had to get at least 10 points to be certain of safety but anything less and we would be nervously looking at other results,though we were sure we had a good enough team to win the match. That team included a league debut for Barry Down and the return of Woodsy, Neilo, and Matty Dennis.
Whimple won the toss and we weren't surprised that they opted to bat as they needed a big win, including a declaration to get 22 points and have a chance of getting promoted. Tom and Dan began economically as always and Dan soon had the breakthrough. The dangerous looking Gordon-Lennox was tempted by a ball short of a length outside off-stump and slapped it straight to Jacko at mid-off, who took it well. Palfrey came in and from the off looked to attack, immediately hitting two boundaries. He had obviously not played at Bridestowe before though as he went back to a good length ball from Tom and was clean bowled. The batsmen were finding it hard to get Dan away and he deservedly got his second wicket, their number four clipping the ball straight to Alex at mid-wicket. Dan (6-3-11-2) was then taken off, perhaps being saved for his usual clean-up of the tail, and replaced by Jacko. Tom (7-2-29-1) was unlucky only to get the one wicket and Alex replaced him. Though neither bowled there best, Jacko struggling for rhythm and Alex bowling 4 or 5 good balls and then a couple of bad ones. Thompson and Brown were now building a decent partnership and at 90-3 the game was in the balance. Barry replaced Jacko and he made the breakthrough in his first over taking the wicket of opener Thompson (46) LBW. 100-4 at drinks and it was time to turn the screw. Barry did just that, after a couple of economical overs he got his second wicket, Searle heaving to mid-wicket where Tom spilled, juggled and chinned the ball but held on to take the catch. Brown was striking the ball nicely and took a liking to Alex's bowling, whilst the new man looked unconvincing. Neil was thrown the ball in order to take the pace of things. Brown crashed his second ball for four and fancied the third as well. He went to clear the rope but ended up picking out Tom at deep mid-on, a crucial wicket. Two new men at the crease, Neilo with the ball. A good length ball had the batsmen trapped and he was given LBW, two in two!! Hat-trick ball for the part time bowler, two men around the bat. Nelio served up a full and straight ball that struck the man on the front foot, we all went up and it was plumb, Neilo had a hat-trick!!!!! I would like to say the grandstand erupted but it wasn't quite at full capacity. An amazing over from Neil reducing Whimple to 118 for 8. Game changer. Just like last week we should of kept them under 130 but their lower order managed to punish the odd loose ball from Barry and Neil. The two bowlers had the last laugh though as Neil (3-14-4) got his fourth caught at cover by Jacko and Barry (6.3-29-3) got the final wicket, bowling the big hitting Gillard. We had bowled them out for 146, a top effort and a very gettable score. Halfway there.
After a feast of a tea, courtesy of Lavis, Woodsy and Jacko took to the crease for the last time this season. They began in their usual fashion, Woodsy looking comfortable and Jacko creaming his first ball for four and taking the first over for 11. It was short lived though as in the third over Jacko went at a wide one and was caught comfortably at gully. Palfrey was steaming in down the hill and he soon had Woodsy as well, caught behind. Matt Dennis joined Phil at the crease and smashed one back at Palfrey, everyone looked to the boundary but it had hit Farley square on the hip. After a minute or so recovering he came back and unsurprisingly dug in a bouncer, it was perfectly executed and all Matt could do was get his bat in the way or get his head taken off. He chose the former and was easily caught leaving us 19-3. Barry took to the crease (wearing a lid!!) and safely saw out the rest of the over. We really needed some stability and Phil and Barry provided it, batting patiently and waiting for the bad ball. Palfrey looked to be tiring and possibly feeling his hip. The economical Hope also sustained an injury so thankfully for us could only manage 6 overs. The second change bowlers started their spells and by this time Phil and Barry were firmly in and looking good. They hit the spinner out of the attack and at drinks we were 81-3. Shortly after drinks Phil pulled his quad, after a quick word with their skipper Jacko was out there doing his dads running, not that he needed to do that much as Phil was striking the ball beautifully. We reached the hundred mark, and Phil his 50, all was looking good. Just as it was when Jack and Barry ran an easy two, only to find the keeper whipping off the bsild and the whole team going up. Phil (59) had forgot to go back into his crease when moving square and was rightly given out, a cruel way to go especially having batted so well. 114-4 then as Tom, the hero of last week, strolled out. He was back in the hutch a couple of overs later though after what can only be described as a bit of a howler. He went to help the ball down the leg side but it struck his back foot, half the team went up and the umpire raised his finger to the horror of Fog, us and even their keeper! 120-4, twenty seven runs to get with plenty of overs still left. James walked out purposefully and played in the same manner smashing his first ball for four. A wild shy at the stumps by the bowler in the next over only encouraged him more and he beautifully clipped another boundary through mid-wicket, arguably the shot of the day. By this stage there was quite a crowd at the pavilion and we were cheering on every run. Barry closed in on 50 as he knocked the ball around with ease, but it was James (16*) who had the final say clipping another through the leg-side for 'four Joes' to see us home! A well-structured chase in the end with a great partnership between Phil and Barry (49*) and the win was all the more important as those around us in the table also bagged 20 points.
So we shall once again be playing E Division cricket next year and shall hopefully be looking towards promotion rather than relegation!
Here are the full division tables for the league – http://www.devoncricket.co.uk/userfiles/new18_tabs.pdf
That may be it for the league but we still have two games this season. Next Saturday we host Martinstown CC in a friendly and Saturday 14th is Presidents day, so come down and play/watch/support!!