Post date: May 15, 2016 9:47:45 AM
On a reasonably sunny day at Millaton the day started poorly with Steve Batstone being anointed as skipper as both Lee Jutson and Tim Shaw were drafted into the first team.
Arriving early to with paint in hand to open the pavilion, mark out the wicket ends, the boundary, and place the boundary markers Steve was greeted with Bovey T team turning up for a 1.30 start believing as most of the Briddy team did that we had a 2.00 start.
Some help was availed from P Hatton who rather drunkenly scribed the boundary, something it transpired wouldn’t be threatened too much throughout the game. Bovey T lost the toss and SB elected to insert them with the ambition of maximising the points.
Opening with Gideon Pritchard and Jack Barkwell (the latter with a raging hangover) Briddy really didn’t get hold of the game with the Bovey T openers working their way through 40 inside 10 overs. Phil Down over exerted himself with a swift jog after the ball in the second over only to tweak a hamstring …the dangers of not properly warming up!! Bovey T in the true spirit of the game were however kind enough to lend us a fielder as cover. Jack Barkwell got the first breakthrough with his 4 th ball of the 10 th over bowling D Harvey for what was a particularly ‘slappy’ 20. The left handed Bovey T opener, P. Scott was however looking starting to look ominously comfortable. Realising that pace wasn’t doing it SB turned to the Joppers spin machine (allegedly he doesn’t turn the ball …so he says). Immediately the rate of runs started to slow, and in his second over Jopps mopped up Boveys number 3 & 4 in successive balls ( there was a slight moan around the Briddy team as the second of these was the rather Amazonian looking Sophie… a lady that cut a fine figure in her cricket whites ). In a an inspired bit of captaincy SB brought himself on at the other end taking (some would say purchasing) a wicket with his last delivery of his first over. In his second over, setting a field for a bad delivery that he never intended to bowl, SB duly delivered said bad ball only for the well set P Scott to smack it to straight to Phil Hatton on the boundary. SB ‘chips in’ yet again.
After that the walk backward and forward to the pavilion for the Bovey Tracey batsmen became a bit of a procession and they struggled to muster only 105 all out. Dave Joppers doing pretty much all he damage as he ended up with his first ever 5fer and with the respectable figures of 7.5-1- 6-36.
A most excellent tea, supplied by Dale Harris and catered for by the Jo Pritchard was taken between innings. Wanting to give everybody a game (ill advisedly) SB juggled around with the batting order. Opening with Phil Hatton and Jack Barkwell. Jack with his brand new Newberry bat ( it was all the bats fault apparently) didn’t trouble the scorers much being caught for 1 run. Phil was also scratching around at the other end. Buz Brimmacombe joined the fight lasting not very long for his quick fire 11 runs before being bowled. Then Phil was joined by Kieron Lee back from injury. Using the bat that Jack had cursed not ten minutes earlier the pair put on a pretty solid 51 run partnership before Phil went for a very good 40. Out, bowled by T England.
Then the wheels came off the Bridestowe innings with the wickets falling very regularly and without the scoreboard turning over much at all. The game came to a climax with Bridestowe needing ‘only’ 10 runs but with only 1 wicket left…and that being Dave ‘sixfer’ Joplin and Phil ‘the tweaked hamstring’ Down. Dave Jopps took charge and paddled the ball around with some ease smashing a lovely straight 4 to win the game.
Bridestowe win!! 17 points beating Bovey Tracey 6 points.
The winner was the game of cricket…great match played in great spirit by all !!