Post date: Jul 26, 2015 5:12:10 PM
After an agonising defeat last week Bridestowe 1st XI were back on the road with a long trip to an in-form Kingsbridge side. With James and Lavis away Matt and Ryan Dennis stepped up for their 1st team season debuts.
Butler successfully won the toss and put the hosts into bat on a fairly hard looking track with a green top. Tom and Gary opened with the ball and were immediately into the Kingsbridge batsmen. Gary took the first, after four balls that were too good for the batsmen he served up a full toss to Westlake who pulled it straight into the hands of Ryan at mid-wicket. Tom then bowled other opener Ford and the score was 3-2. At the celebration Phil Hatton pulled out a pack of polos to reward all that were involved in the wicket as two new men took to the crease. For a considerable amount of time their batting resembled the shape of the mint confectionary as both Tom and Gary continued to cause problems, Gary twice found the edge but both chances went begging in the slip cordon. This along with extras meant that Pike and Badale took the score to 37-2 as Naz and Dan took over with the ball. Dan had the breakthrough in his first over beating Pike (19) for pace and bowling him off the pad. Shortly after he had the wicket of Browne as a full ball struck him on the pad and continued to roll on to the stumps, though he probably would have been out LBW anyway. Naz was finding some good areas and there were no runs coming off the bat, though the score kept ticking with a couple of quick deliveries down the leg side that flew to the boundary. Still neither batsmen looked really comfortable and Dan got his third, Bandale driving one on the up straight to Gary at short cover having made a hard fought 21. Naz then got Elliot-Bradley with a perfect doosra which completely fooled the batsmen and hit off-stump. This meant the score was 64-6 at drinks with Bridestowe firmly on top. Dan (3-25) finished his sixth over with a few loose balls that slightly ruined his figures but it had been a great spell. Alex took over from him, for his first spell of leg spin for the 1st XI, Tom returned at the other end. Both bowled economically as Tom settled into his rhythm and Alex found a bit of turn and low bounce from the pitch. Hardy did eventually go after him and struck a full ball for 6 over cow. Alex did get him in the next over though as he misjudged a full toss and was struck dead in front, out LBW. The score was 90-7 as Da Silva joined Dores. More tight overs came and Tom finished his spell with 1-18. Skipper Butler took the ball from him and struck in his second over, a full ball luring Dores into a big shot and clean bowling him. Roseworne came to the crease and soon went after Alex (1-24) striking him for three fours down the ground and spoiling his figures. Both batsmen were beginning to open up now as they looked to reach 150. Naz took over from Butler and Gary from Alex with 6 overs to go. Roseworne was hitting the ball well and struck a couple of boundaries including a sweet 6 down the ground. However Naz returned well and finished his overs with 1-20. Gary eventually got Roseworne (25) as he went for another big shot but was well caught by Dan running backwards. Last man Peach joined Da Silva and the pair ran well getting the score up to the 150. Gary (2-36) finished his spell painfully as Da Silva smashed one back at him and as he threw up a hand it smashed into the base of his thumb. Butler (1-26) bowled the last over as Kingsbridge finished on 163-9. It was more than the visiting side would of liked having had them 64-6 and being top for much of the innings. Extras was by far the top scorer accounting for 42.
With Gary’s hand in no state to hold a bat Matt took up opening duties with Tom and they couldn’t have got off to a better start as Matt first smashed a short ball from Roseworne over mid-wicket for four and then turned one around the corner for the same outcome. He continued in this fashion striking another two boundaries from Peach’s first over. Roseworne replied with a maiden before Tom joined in on the act, twice using the pace of the ball to guide it through point for four. After just 7 overs Bridestowe had raced to 54 which prompted a change in bowling. Pike took over from Peach but it was the introduction of Da Silva which proved to be the game changer. His dismissed Tom (26) third ball as he pushed at one that turned and the edge flew to gully. Phil was gone next ball as he misjudged one and was struck on the pad, out LBW. The rest of the over was calmly played out by Mark and Pikes over caused little trouble. Disaster struck with Da Silva’s next ball though as Matt (29) looked to take the initiative and send the ball over the fence but didn’t get near it and was well stumped. Da Silva had taken 3-0 in 7 balls and Bridestowe’s great start had disappeared in an instant. Naz and Mark looked more comfortable against the leg spin, getting forward well and Da Silva took himself off after just 4 overs, presumably saving himself for if it got tight. Westlake took the ball and Peach returned as Bridestowe looked to rebuild. Peach (1-23) got a wicket with is first ball back, as Naz looked to play a full ball off his legs but was hit on the pad and given out LBW. Neil joined Mark at the crease and both looked good, defending anything straight and picked off anything loose. Neil dispatched two wide balls to the off side boundary as the score moved towards 80. Da Silva (4-5) brought himself back on for an over against Neil and it did the trick. Neil tried to send the ball over the infield and seemed to get enough on it but the ball hung in the air and a good catch was taken running backwards. Left handed Ryan was promoted in an attempt to face off the leg spin. They took it to drinks with the score at 78-5 and the game in the balance. Mark was ever untroubled at the crease and ticked over the score, glancing the ball to the vacant fine leg boundary. Ryan also looked good and creamed a half volley from Hardy to the fence. He was gone soon after though as he tried to tuck one to the leg side from the same bowler and was bowled. A couple of overs later and Alex was gone in similar fashion reducing the score to 99-7. Dan also went, edging behind to give Hardy (3-13) his third. Butler took his usual approach and managed to get one just over the rope in the hands of the fielder. Mark also struck a boundary over mid-off as the score passed 120. The returning Pike (1-18) then got the wicket of Butler as he looked for another maximum but got a top edge that sent the ball high up in the air giving long-on enough time to come forward and take the catch. Gary was the last man but struggled to keep two hands on the bat due to his injured hand. A shortish ball from Westlake (1-23) was good enough as he looked to swing it to leg but the bounce did for him and he was bowled to end the innings with the chase falling 40 short. After a great platform had been set it was a thoroughly disappointing chase from Bridestowe. Once again it was only Mark Fog (31 n.o) who really showed the determination and patience to spend time at the crease.
That loss sees Bridestowe drop to third, well off the top spot which they held for a number of weeks. It will be a big last 5 games for the side if they hope to battle for promotion play off place, starting against Stoke Gabriel at home next week.