The 1st XI were 25-run winners when they travelled across Mid Devon to meet Sandford at their Creedy Park home.
This contest proved to be one in which our 1st XI dug deep and showed great character to pull a superb success out of the bag – in a contest that, at one stage – they looked to be heading to defeat in!
However, without doubt, it was the determination and character of the XI on duty at Creedy Park that meant the team returned home with 18 points and a priceless victory that leaves the team sitting fifth and now just 18 points shy of North Devon – who they still have to host in their remaining five matches of the campaign.
First up today – a big ‘shout out’ to the two ball sponsors who kindly provided the ball sponsorships for both the 1st XI and 2nd XI – DAVE ‘DIGGER’ PENBERTHY and CHARLIE STAFFORD – as ever, our sincere thanks go to the ball sponsors who provide superb support)
After losing the toss and being invited to bat first, Bradninch skipper Gary Chappell and Ross Acton launched the Ninch innings, but, with 25 runs on the board, Acton fell three-boundary, 18-ball 12, bowled by Harrison Jones.
Dan Hardy was next man in – and out, in his case having scored 13 from 25 deliveries, to leave the score 44-2 and it was soon a worrying 48-4 with Mitch Pugh runout at the non-strikers end for a second ball duck followed by a first ball dismissal for Sam Franks, adjudged leg before to Jamie Palmer who was also accredited with the Pugh runout.
Things did not get much better when the fifth wicket fell; Eliot Acton caught by Harrison Jones off the bowling of Jackson Thompson. Acton was out for a 10-ball eight and now half the Ninch side were back in the hutch with just 64 runs on the Creedy Park score board.
However, there was one big glimmer of hope that Ninch might still be able to post a 200 plus score with skipper Gary Chappell unbeaten on 26.
Chad Classen was next man in – and he helped Chappell take the side into three figures before, when on 14, the South African was trapped leg before by a delivery from Jack Ford to leave Ninch on 109-6.
Ankit Badwal joined Chappell and the seventh wicket saw 33 runs added before another fine Chappell innings was ended.
With the score on 142, Chaps fell to the 92nd delivery he faced, stumped by Adam Small off the bowling of Jack Ford having scored sixty, hitting eight fours.
Badwal was joined by Josh Farley and the pair put on 21 invaluable runs before Badwal became the eighth wicket to fall – but not before he had faced just 26 deliveries for his 31 runs, a vital cameo that included five fours and a six.
Will Squire was then run out to the second ball he received – another run out from Jamie Palmer and two successive wickets had fallen to leave NInch on 163-9.
Last man Darren Paul joined Farley and again, the partnership yielded what would prove to be an invaluable 13 runs with the innings ended when Farley was bowled by Jackson Thompson for a 37-ball ten leaving Paul the not out batsman on four and Ninch all out for 176 in 44.3 overs.
To seasoned cricket watchers, the score looked to be at least 30 runs light.
For the home side, six different bowlers were used with the pick of the returns being the 3-32 return from Jack Ford from nine overs. Jackson Thompson (2-25 from 6.3 overs), Jamie Palmer (2-31 from seven) and Harrison Jones (1-26 from five), were the other successful bowlers while the remaining returns were, Jake Griffiths (0-17 from six) and Andrew Buzza (0-40 from 10).
When the home side started their reply it was with Sandy Allen and Ryan Glass while the Ninch new ball duties went to Chad Classen and Ross Acton and, with the third ball of the fifth over, Classen struck thanks to a catch held by Dan Hardy to send back Sandy Allen for a 19-ball 15.
Adam Small joined Glass but a second wicket was quickly claimed when Glass was run out by Gary Chappell off the final ball of the seventh over, the fourth delivered by Classen with the Sandford opener out for a 17-ball five.
Mitch Pugh became the first change when he sent down the 11th over and skipper Chappell introduced himself to deliver the 14th over.
The NInch skipper introduced Josh Farley to bowl the 20th over from which just two runs were scored and, at the start of the 21st over, Sandford were 89-2, needing another 88 runs with plenty of wickets and overs to play with.
The home 100 came up from the fifth delivery of the 23rd over – sent down by Gary Chappell with Harrison Jones scoring a ‘three’ to bring up the three figures.
However, with the first ball of the 24th over, Farley struck to take a smart return catch off his own bowling to send back Harrison Jones for a 34-ball 29.
That left the home side 100-3, but still firmly ‘in charge’ of the contest.
It was young Farley who struck again, this time with the third delivery of the 28tgh over with wicket keeper Darren Paul claiming the catch which gave Farley a second wicket, sending back Andrew Buzza for a 13-ball seven to leave the Creedy Park men on 118-4.
Chad Classen was returned to the attack to bowl the 29th over which went for just two runs before, with the first ball of the 30th over, Farley struck again thanks to a Classen catch that ended the short stay at the wicket of Jackson Thompson who was out for a five-ball one and now, with half the home side out with the score slipping from 100-2 to 120-5, Ninch began to sense they had a big chance of securing another priceless success!
Classen struck with the fifth delivery of the 31st over knocking over the stumps of Chris Jelly who was sent back for a 10-ball one.
That left Sandford on 121-6 and that was soon 126-7 with Eliot Acton holding a catch to give Classen a third wicket and, arguably more important to the outcome of the contest, end the fine 94-ball knock of Adam Small that had seen the Sandford bat score 62 runs.
Jack Ford and Harry Everett took over for the home side and they began to edge their team towards the victory line and, at the start of the 38th over – to be sent down by Ross Acton – they were 142-7, needing another 35 runs to win with just the three wickets remaining and plenty of overs.
However, Ross Acton sent down four successive dot balls before knocking over the Everett stumps, sending the batter back to the Creedy Park Pavilion with a 15-ball one to his name.
Jack Ford then hit a four off the final ball of the 39th over – this after Mitch Pugh had bowled five successive dot balls and, after the 40th over – sent down by Ross Acton – had gone for just two singles, it meant that, as the 41st over, to be bowled by Pugh, started, Sandford were now 148-8 needing 29 runs to win.
However, to the first ball of the 41st over, Ross Acton held a catch to give Mitch Pugh the wicket of Jack Ford, out for a 29-ball 17 and now Ninch, with the final home pair together at the wicket, could smell the opportunity of completing a famous victory.
It duly came with Acton trapping Jamie Palmer leg before to the fourth delivery of the 42nd over leaving Palmer out for an 8-ball two and Sandford bowled out for 151 to leave Bradninch victors by a margin of 25 runs. Jake Griffiths was the not out batsman with one run to his name from the five balls he received.
As for the Bradninch bowling returns; Josh Farley took top honours with his return of 3-22 from eight overs while Chad Classen also claimed three wickets with his return being 3-41 from a full shift of 10 overs. Ross Acton (2-28 from 9.4 overs) and Mitch Pugh (1-19 from seven) were the other wicket takers, while the fifth bowler was skipper Gary Chappell (0-37 from seven).