Bridestowe CC vs. Halberton & Sampford Peverell CC

We were at home for the second week in a row facing Halberton, who we had lost to earlier in the season. With the Hattons and a few others unavailable there were first Saturday games for Charlie Ewen and Dan Buckland.After an early rain shower Halberton won the toss and stuck us in to bat. We couldn’t have had a worse start with Sam misjudging the pace of Calloways first ball and serving a catch to mid-off. Jopling joined Tom Fog and safely faced out the rest of the over. Tom then brought out his signature late cut finding the boundary and after a streaky shot to get off the mark Jopling began to settle down. Both Calloway and Turner were getting some joy from the pitch with some balls keeping low and others getting some lift. Tom Fogs good work was undone though as he chipped the ball up and a low catch was taken at cover. We were 17-2 then as Mark Fog took to the crease. Jopling picked up a couple of boundaries off Turner and the pair saw out the first 10 overs and the opening spells. Spinners Durrant and Coles were the first change bowlers and Mark and Jopling faced out their first couple of overs weary of the turn the pitch might produce. Coles then began to miss his length as Jopling stuck him for 6 and then 4 and Mark also sent him to the boundary. The put on 50 together before a change in bowling did for Jopling, he pushed at one outside off and was caught at gully diving forward after a good 39. Lavis had been promoted to number 5 and it looked to be a good call as he smashed Salter over mid-on for 6. Mark joined in as they both struck the ball well down the ground. At drinks we were 101-3 and in a good position after the pitch had done a bit early on. Shortly after Lavis (22) was gone though, sharply stumped off Salter. An in-form James Ewen was now at the crease and he immediately took a liking to Coles and Salter, turning Salter (6-34-2) around the corner for consecutive 4s and striking Coles (9-55) for 6. At 150-4 with 15 overs to go we were looking at a score in excess of 200. Calloway returned though and had James caught after a quick-fire 31. Dan Buckland joined Mark Fog and things took a turn for the worse. First Mark Fog (33) didn’t get hold of a full toss and was caught at mid-off, then Dan Buckland was seen off with a good yorker before Dan Fog hung his bat out at a ball outside off and was caught at first slip to seal a game changing hattrick for Calloway (9-2-38-6). We had collapsed from 155-4 to 160-8 and now 200 looked a long way off. There was thankfully some rest bite as Butler hit the returning Durrant (6-22) for 4. He and Charlie put on a good 20 before the Turner returned and bowled Charlie with a good ball. Jutson and Butler added a couple to the score before Butler was also bowled by Turner trying to hit the ball out of the park. We had been bowled out for 184 with 8 overs still left. After a decent start it was a disappointing end to the innings.

Tom and Dan Fog opened up and Dan had a wicket in his first over, Blake edging the ball straight into the bread basket of Dan Buckland at gully. A good start and we looked to continue it as both Fogs put pressure on Coles who was now joined by Venn. Dan couldn’t get his second though and was replaced by Lavis after a decent 5 overs spell. Tom was all over Venn and found the edge on numerous occasions but the ball often split or fell the short of the slips. Coles was also riding his luck but was keeping the score ticking. Lavis was also finding the edges of both batsmen but it was to no avail. A huge LBW shout from Tom (9-1-32) was also turned down as he finished an incredibly unlucky spell to be replaced by Jopling. Both Coles and Venn struck a few balls through the covers well and picked up singles as the score was 80-1 at drinks. We had to keep patient and eventually Jopling got the breakthrough, Venn finally middling the ball but sending it straight up and was caught safely by Dan Fog at long-on. 100-2 from 28, with the required run rate at about 5 an over. Turner was the new man and it was clear that he only knew how to play one way, striking the ball hard and straight. Lavis (9-31) also finished a very unlucky spell and it looked as if the game wasn’t going to go our way. Coles was still plugging away as Turner took the initiative punishing a loose couple of overs from Jutson. The score was rolling on now as Coles passed 50. We had to throw the dice. James took over from Jopling and when he hit the pitch managed to tie down the batsmen. However Turner was in full flow and hit a couple of huge 6s to reach 50 in no time. Dan Fog (8.3-1-40-1) returned and bowled with real aggression that worried Turner but the game was all but lost. Sam took over from James for one last effort, he did pick up the wicket of Turner, a low full toss struck high in the air and taken by James at long-on but it was too little too late and the winning runs were hit with 5 overs to spare to seal a 22 point victory for Halberton.

A thoroughly disappointing way to end our winning streak. Not enough cash in the bank having had a lower order collapse, highlighting the importance of batting the full 45 overs. We were particularly unlucky in the field but credit to Halberton who executed their chase well. Other results meant the gap didn't actually change at the top, though it is getting increasingly close below us, increasing the pressure on us to win. Next week is the first of three huge games, away to Whimple.