Kingskerswell CC vs. Bridestowe CC - 26/07/14

After claiming victory from the jaws of defeat last week we were on the road again, this time to Kingskerswell. On arrival though it was clear that the pitch itself was far from a road! Injuries to Dan Fog and Lee Jutson meant Pat Ewen and Chris Lavis came in to the side. Butler lost the toss for what be the first time this season and unsurprisingly we were stuck in to bat. The pitch did even more that we expected as balls off a length popped up and others kept low or jagged in, this proved hard work for openers Tom Fog and Sam. Tom pulled Lacey to the fence for 4 in his first over before being bowled by one that cut in. This brought a determined Jacko to the crease and he and Sam began to build a partnership. They both watched the ball well as the pitch increasingly caused problems. Sam was beginning to punish bad balls though and sent a short ball from Lacey onto the train track. Douglas wasn’t getting quite as much out of the pitch and both Sam and Jack sent half volleys for 4. The pair began manipulating the field and running some quick singles, just as they were looking to have settled down though, Jacko was gone. A ball that got a bit of lift from Lacey being easily caught at short leg. Jopling joined Sam at the crease with the score at 47-2 from 12 overs. He and Sam looked to face out the last 6 overs from Lacey and Douglas. However Sam attempted to strike Lacey (9-2-24-3) over the top but was caught well in the deep. Phil was next in and after striking Douglas (9-1-32-1) over mid-off for 4 he was also caught, chipping the ball straight to a close mid-wicket. We had fallen to 53-4, a situation James was getting used to as he joined Jopling and the pair safely faced out the end of the opening spells. Wheedon took the ball and got the breakthrough in his first over as Jopling completely miss hit a full toss and was easily caught at a short mid-off. With the score at 60-5 from 20 overs we were in a bit of trouble, James was joined by brother Pat as they looked to build a score that was defendable. Pat took the attack to Wheedon (9-1-29-2) smashing him down the ground and through the covers for boundaries. Dingle was proving a bit harder to get away, the slow bowlers were getting less help from the pitch though and Pat dispatched two more boundaries. Dingle did get his reward though getting one to lift outside off and Pat could only dab it down for a good catch to be taken close in. 90-6 now as Mark Fog took to the crease. C.Hurrell took the ball and found both the edges of James and Mark but it was to no avail. The pair began to knock the ball around with ease as the pitch seemed to flatten out with the help of some light rain. They were also running well and as C.Hurrell (6-36) and now J.Hurrell (4-43) bowled some loose balls James punished them with ease, he accelerated brilliantly hitting numerous 4s and a couple of 6s as we quickly passed 125, gaining another batting point and creating a defendable score. Another 6 from James bought him his 50, a patient and well-timed innings. A couple of balls later he was gone though, attempting to gain the strike as the overs ran down, he tried for an impossible single and was easily run-out. With only 5 overs left we were on 170, Lavis tried to carry on the acceleration but struck a ball to cow and was eventually caught. There were 4 overs left as skipper Butler took to the crease, he picked out the fielder at the square leg boundary a couple of times before the fireworks started. He crashed a 4 through the leg side, before hitting a huge 6 over cow corner and then finding the boundary twice more to take the returning Dingle (8-1-44-2) for 18. Mark couldn’t quite find the middle as well as Butler but also picked up a couple of boundaries, he was run out in the penultimate over though trying to get Butler on strike, having made a vital 41. A couple more boundaries for Butler (33 n.o), and a single for Boother took out total to 215, a score we were delighted with considering we were 60-5. 100 runs hit by the lower order in just 12 overs!!

We took to the field knowing that we had to pitch the ball and make use of the variable surface in order to win the game. Tom and Lavis opened up and began tightly, with early maidens from Lavis. It soon came apparent that the batsmen were going to play their shots and try and unsettle our bowlers. The pitch wasn’t doing quite as much as it was earlier but it was still far from easy for the batsmen, who were getting some fairly streaky boundaries. Lavis got the breakthrough in his 5 over, Butt attempting to hit the ball straight, but only finding Boother who took a sharp low catch at mid-on. Etherington was managing to find the middle a few times but was still giving chances. It didn’t take long for Lavis to get his second wicket, Lacey going forward to a ball on the perfect length on gloving it to James, who took a good catch at second slip. Tom Fog joined the party as skipper C.Hurrell attempted to strike the ball inside-out over cover but could only slice the ball up for a simple catch taken by Jopling. Shortly after Lavis had another, Etherington trying to find the boundary again but finding Butler at cover who took a safe catch. Wheedon and Douglas were now at the crease and it was clear that they only knew how to play one way. They both tried to hit everything straight and hard and got some reward from it. Wheedon especially was hitting the ball sweetly dispatching Tom (8-1-44-1) for two straight 6s. Douglas was a bit more hit and miss, quite literally, as he struck some good straight boundaries but also got nowhere near others. Lavis finished a great spell with figures of 9-2-28-3. Boother took over from Tom Fog and Jacko from Lavis as the score accelerated to 70. Boother got the breakthrough though, having Douglas (12) easily caught by Jacko at a close mid-wicket. Shortly after Jacko had the important wicket of Wheedon (28), he went to strike another big shot but could only send it high into the air, after a slight confusion of who was going for it Jopling got underneath it and took it safely. Pethwick took to the crease and continued in the same vain as Wheedon, striking the ball hard off Jacko who was struggling to find his rhythm. Wickets continued to fall at the other end though, with Bigwood chipping the ball up to Tom Fog at short cover, yet another man out caught! Some brief resistance from R.Hurrell and more solid hitting from Pethwick took the score to 100 before Sam took a good catch running round from mid-on, once again off the bowling of Jacko (3-21-3). Boother then ended the innings of Pethwick (29), this time he did not connect and the ball smashed into off stump. 2 balls later and the game was over, J.Hurrell clipping the ball to James who moved quickly to take a sharp catch close in on the leg-side, leaving Boother with figures of 3.5-16-3. We had bowled (though more caught) Kingskerswell out for 111 giving us a 20 point win that had been set up by some brilliant batting from the middle and lower order.

Next week we face Cullompton at home hoping to maintain our unbeaten record at the Millaton and the gap at the top of the table!