Bridestowe CC vs. Whimple CC

The sun was finally shining at the Millaton ground allowing us to play only our second home game of the season! Our opponents were Whimple with whom we have had great games in the past and with both of us coming off poor results last week, it was an important game. With Jacko and Jutson unavailable we welcomed back Chris Lavis with Tom Boother also getting the nod.

Butler won the toss and on the hardest looking Bridestowe track for a long time, stuck Whimple into bat. Lavis and Tom Fog took the new ball and began economically as skipper Lennox, along with Thompson, tried to play themselves in and get a gauge of the wicket. Lennox was looking the more comfortable and struck a couple of sweet cover drives to the fence. Lavis continued to bowl dangerous areas and eventually got his reward trapping Thompson LBW as he walked across his stumps. This brought Silk to the crease who survived a good LBW shout first up. Tom Fog was unlucky not to pick up a wicket himself as a yorker missed Lennox's stumps by a whisker. Lavis did get the better of the dangerous looking skipper though as he dragged on for 23. Dan Fog replaced his brother but started out of sorts, getting good shape on the ball but failing to get a consistent line. Lavis on the other hand was in his element getting down on his haunches with on numerous occasions as he beat the bat or rattled the pad. Dan struggled to find rhythm down the hill and was replaced by Jopling. Dan did play a major part in the next wicket though. A fairly tame ball by Jopling on leg stump was clipped in the air by Palfrey with Dan making a lot of ground to brilliantly take a low catch at mid-wicket. Lavis (9-3-22-3) then finished his spell in great style bowling Searle for a duck. Brown joined Silk at the crease and the pair looked comfortable against Jopling and new bowler Samo, who was struggling to control the swing that the conditions provided. At drinks Whimple were 80 odd for 4, on a fairly true pitch with a quick outfield we felt that the game was slightly in our favour. The next dismissal showed that there was some luck in our favour. Jopling dragged a ball horribly short, Brown eyed up the big sweep but didn't quite judge the bounce of the ball with it hitting him right in front of the stumps. Jopling was almost too embarrassed to appeal but thankfully others did and Brown was on his way. The next ball was almost the complete opposite, a full tempting ball outside the off-stump causing F.Northover to snick one straight into the awaiting hands of Phil at slip. Two in two for Jopling then to leave Whimple 92-6. He could not continue the good work though and Silk, now anchoring the innings, along with G.Northover began finding the boundaries, the latter hitting the ball particularly sweetly. Dan replaced Samo and Boother took over from Jopling as we looked to get the last four wickets. It was Boother who got the breakthrough, Northover attempting to find the boundary again from a short ball but getting more height than length and Tom Fog gratefully took the catch at deep mid-wicket. Dan (9-0-37) was finding better rhythm coming up the hill and was causing problems. Boother had the ball on a string though, swinging it all over the place. This did for the new man Hathaway who was trapped in front and a couple of balls later Boother had his third bowling Tipfou all ends up. A game changing couple of overs from Boother (4-15-3) meant the score was now 139-9. Silk remained at the crease and now with Hope began to attack the Dan and the returning Tom Fog. Hope was more than capable at holding up the other end and the pair began to put on important runs together. Dan beat the bat on numerous occasions but it was just not his day as he cruelly finished his spell without reward. Jopling (7.5-2-36-4) came back and after Hope carted him for 4 over mid-off he found a decent reply and the edge of Hope, a sensational catch taken by Phil at slip, who somehow managed to get a right hand underneath the ball. We had eventually bowled Whimple out for 169 after a frustrating last wicket stand of 30.

In the absence of Jacko, Samo took up the responsibility of opening the batting with Tom Fog. The pair began in great fashion with opening bowlers Hathaway and Searle failing to cause many problems. Anything short or wide was being sent to the boundary with Sam pulling well and Tom bringing out his favourite late cut. 41 from the first 6 overs meant we were well above the rate and this brought about a change in bowling from Whimple. Silk and Hope now took the ball in an attempt to stem the run rate and get the breakthrough. They were both bowling good areas and getting movement in the air and off the pitch. Tom and Samo had both got themselves in though and any bad balls from either bowler were put away, meaning that by the 14th over we were on 75. Silk did manage to break the partnership in great fashion, an in-swinging ball on the perfect length bowling Samo (37) through the gate. Shortly after he had his second, finding the top of James' off stump. Phil was in at 4 and found an early boundary off Hope, Tom also found the fence yet again but then spooned one up off Silk and was easily caught. Jopling joined Phil aiming to see out the last few overs from Hope (9-4-27-1) and Silk (9-1-31-4). Phil could not resist though and attempted to drive Silk only to be well caught at slip. 94-4 now and the away side sensed a big chance in the game. Pat came in and took a liking to Silk smashing him over mid-off for 4. Jopling continued to face out Hope but with one ball to go in his spell, played a half hearted shot right back to him for the caught and bowled. Pat also failed to go through with his shot to a short ball from new bowler F.Northover and was easily caught. We had lost 6 wickets for only 25 runs, yet again another Bridestowe collapse. Dan and Mark Fog were at the crease though, two players who are suited and getting ever used to this kind of situation. They ran well between the wickets and with Hope and Silk now bowled out more loose balls began to come. Searle replaced F.Northover and spinner G.Northover came on from the other end. It was not his turn that got his wicket but a cruel bounce for Mark Fog, a short ball that didn't get up and bowled him. Lavis took to the crease and along with Dan pushed the ball around with ease and picked off the bad balls. The run rate was not really going to be an issue, we just had to keep our wickets, Lavis and Dan gradually took us closer as nails began to get bitten in the pavilion. This increased when Dan attempted to turn a ball into the gap but was bowled by G.Northover (5.4-23-2). 26 needed with two wickets in hand as skipper Butler walked in purposefully. With the field spread the pair ran well between the wickets, Butlers natural game came out though as he smashed any loose balls through the leg side for 4. Opening bowler Hathaway returned but to no avail as Lavis dispatched him for a couple of 4s and the pair took the over for 16. Suddenly we only needed 7 to win, another 4 slapped through mid-wicket by Butler and then the perfect way to finish from the skipper with a flat 6 over mid-on. Relief and jubilation in the pavilion with Lavis (19 n.o) and Butler (19 n.o) seeing us home.

Another great game against Whimple and a well earned win, even if we did make hard work of it! We gained full bowling points as well as batting bonus points for chasing it down within 40 overs, meaning we got 21 points. This moves us up to joint 2nd in the league with Kilmington, which is where we travel to next week,