Bradninch 2nd XI suffered a frustratingly narrow seven run defeat when they hosted table-topping Thorverton 2nd XI in a Devon League E Division East fixture.
At the end of the day – allowing for the seven-run defeat – it was the ‘wide count’ that determined the winners in a classic closely contested local derby!
Bradninch skipper Jason Dowrick had won the toss and seen his bowlers deliver the goods to bundle the Thors out for 120.
However, on closer examination of the score book, no fewer than 29 of those Thorverton runs were ‘gifted’ by the home side in the shape of wides!
James Mills and Nick Acton had the honour of the new ball responsibility, and both struck in their opening overs to leave Thorverton 1-2 after just nine deliveries as Connor Carthew held a superb catch in the slips off the bowling of Mills – though, in fairness to Thorverton opener John Farley, the pitch had plenty to do with his wicket!
Acton then had Andy Doldorph caught behind by Dave Penberthy. Things got even better for the home side when a clever pick up and throw by Ryan Shrewsberry ran out Ben Coe when the Thorverton number three was on six and, four overs in, the visitors were 11-3!
Paul Stirling was in at five and he ‘always’ does well in these contests and again he had a look at things before beginning to trade in boundaries – confidently despatching the bad ball to the boundary as he and Luke Vukusic took the score to 54 when the latter fell to another fine slip catch held by Carthew off the bowling of Acton with Vukusic out for 13 and replaced by Grant Squire.
It was Squire, when on two, who fell next, run out by a sharp piece of fielding by Jason Dowrick and, after 19 overs, Thorverton were 75-5.
It was soon 75-6 as Stirling’s fine knock was ended when he edged a Shrewsberry delivery into the safe hands of Dave Penberthy behind the stumps.
Henry Squire was joined at the wicket by Erin Verkusic and the two youngsters had taken the total to 90 when Verkusic was caught by Carthew off the bowling of Will Birley.
Birley, bowling in tandem with Paul Nott – the latter rolling back the years to deliver some excellent consistency in both line and length.
Indeed, Nott ended his eight over stint having sent down no fewer than 45 of his 48 deliveries as dot balls – the final Nott analysis was eight overs, five maidens, no wickets and just six runs – those six runs coming from three scoring shots, two singles and a four!
Birley also claimed wickets eight, nine and ten – first he had Johnny Baker caught by Ryan Shrewsberry – Baker out for seven with the score then 106-8 and then, with the score on 113, Birley caught and bowled Stuart Tait, who was on seven.
To close the innings, Birley had Henry Squire caught at mid-off by Dowrick, but not before the youngster had scored what would prove to be a vital 19 which all meant Thorverton were bowled out for 120 in one ball shy of 37 overs.
Birley took the bowling honours with superb figures of 4-19 from 6.5 overs. We have already highlighted the stunning shift from Paul Nott (0-6 from eight overs) while Nick Acton (2-33) was the only bowler to send down nine overs in what was a 41-overs-per-side contest.
Ryan Shrewsberry’s return was 1-29 from seven overs and James Mills’s return was 1-29 from six.
It was a new opening partnership that launched the Bradninch reply with Will Birley and Derrick Foan sent out to bat.
The openers began well and, 10 overs in, things looked comfortable with 34 runs on the board and the first wicket yet to fall.
However, four balls into the 11th over, bowler Styart Tate rattled the Derrick Foan pads and the umpire’s finger was raised in response to a ‘howzat’ from the bowler. Foan looked puzzled as it had been a lone appeal, and off he trotted having scored nine.
One down with 34 runs on the board was soon 51-2 with Connor Carthew dismissed for 10, caught by Stuart Tate off the bowling of Erin Verkusic.
Just one run was added before Birley lost his off stump to a superb delivery from Erin Verkusic ‘too good for me’ said the Bradninch opener as he walked off – and, 52-3 was soon 53-4 with Paul Nott also succumbing to an Erin Verkusic delivery that also knocked his stumps over!
Dave Penberthy was the fifth wicket to fall – in his case caught by Henry Squire off the bowling of Thorverton captain Jack Stirling, and it was soon 63-6 as Stirling claimed a second wicket, having his opposite number, Jason Dowrick, caught by Andrew Daldorf without troubling the scorers.
Just six runs were added before Nick Acton perished, bowled by Jonny Baker when on four to leave Bradninch 69-7 and in deep trouble, still needing 52 runs to claim a victory.
Ryan Shrewsberry was still there, and he was joined by James Mills and the pair had taken the score to 88 when Shrewsberry fell to a catch held by Andy Daldorph to give Ben Coe – who had opened the bowling and was now back on for his second spell – a wicket.
At 88-8, it seemed as if the last rites were about to be given to the Bradninch reply.
However, James Mills was joined by number 10 bat Ross Lawson – the latter playing only his second game of cricket in seven years – and the tail end batsmen suddenly began to nudge the home side towards an unlikely victory!
The score moved onto 107 when Mills fell for 14, caught in the deep by Stuart Tate to give Baker a second wicket.
Johnny Reed was last man in for the home side and the tail enders – Lawson and Reed – took the score to 113 and within eight runs of a famous win when Lawson was bowled by Baker for 11 – one of the two fours Lawson rifled was greeted by a huge roar from the home faithful – and the reply had closed just shy of the winning line.
All agreed that this was a terrific battle. Yes, a good toss to win, but the home side battled well to restrict Thorverton to a total of 120 – but, and this is a huge but – that wide count of 29 wides was always going to be a problem.
Indeed, at the interval, one or two, looking deep into their crystal balls, predicted that the outcome of the contest would be decided by the wide count – and so it was to be!