Bradninch & Kentisbeare 2nd XI were involved in a fixture as equally ‘important’ than their senior club mates in action down on the East Devon coast. A win over the visiting side and promotion to the C Division East would be guaranteed with one match to play, but defeat would mean the battle for a promotion berth between B&K and Shobrooke Park would go to the final matchday of the season.
Like that fixture involving the 1st XI at Exmouth, this one was also subjected to a late start which meant a 36 over-per-side contest.
After winning the toss and putting Shobrooke Park in, the visitors had opener Chris Simpson to thank for their closing total of 205-7 as he scored 78 runs from 98 balls hitting six fours and three sixes before he was caught by James Mills off the bowling of Todd Scrase – one of three wickets for the spinner who was introduced to the attack as fifth change and finished with the pick of the home bowling returns – his figures being 3-28 from five overs. Ankit Badwal bagged a brace of wickets with his return being 2-50 from eight while the other wicket taker was Sam Franks (1-30 from six). The other wicket was a run out attributed to wicket keeper Scott Chappell. The other bowling returns were; Tom Kittow (0-11 from three), Josh Stewart (0-36 from six) and Morgan Lamey (0-26 from four).
There were 38 extras in the Shobrooke Park innings – 27 of those being wides.
Morgan Lamey fell for one early in the run chase, the opener caught for a two-ball one and that brought Freddie Gillett out to join Sam Franks and, with four overs gone, B&K were 26-1. Gillett was dismissed for two, adjudged leg before wicket to the sixth delivery he faced, to leave the reply on 42-2 with Scott Chappell joining Franks out in the middle four balls into the fifth over.
After 12 overs the score was 60-2 meaning 146 runs were required from the final 24 overs at a run-rate of a shade over a run-a-ball!
Disaster struck in quick succession as first Sam Franks fell to a catch and was sent back for a run-a-ball, six boundary 42 and 60-3 quickly became 61-4 with the loss of Scott Chappell for a two boundary 24-ball eight.
Todd Scrase and Connor Carthew took centre stage and added 53 before Scrase fell, stumped for a 25-ball 16 to leave B&K on 114-5 and, a few balls later it was 114-6 as Ankit Badwal fell to a catch without troubling the scorers.
This brought Will Greig to join Carthew with B&K still needing 92 runs from the remaining 13 overs. The new bat drilled the first ball he received to the boundary.
At the start of the 25th over the score was 119-6, but it was soon 128-7 following the loss of Greig for an eight-ball eight.
This brought young Josh Stewart to the wicket to join Carthew. The first ball the youngster received was deemed a wide but the second was confidently despatched to the boundary and it was 133-7 after 26 and he stayed with Carthew through until the score of 159 was on then board when the youngster became the eighth home wicket to fall, but not before he had scored an invaluable 20 from just 14 balls, helping take his team to within a single run of a fourth batting point to go with the three bowling points banked earlier.
James Mills came in at ten to join Carthew, but the new man, having helped see the team to that fourth point, was soon the ninth man down, in his case sent back for a five-ball four to leave Carthew now batting with last man Tom Kittow with the side still 166-9, 40 runs shy of victory with just 24 deliveries remaining.
The final wicket to fall was that of Connor Carthew who was bowled by the 71st delivery he faced, having scored a wonderful 47 runs, hitting two fours and one six.
That last wicket fell with just 11 deliveries remaining in the contest and the 20 points that Shobrooke Park banked from the win – set against the seven that B&K picked up – means that BOTH teams have 269 points and sit joint second with ONE game remaining.
Those August 31st final day games are: Whimple versus BRADNINCH & KENTISBEARE 2nd XI and SHOBROOKE PARK versus Topsham St James