Kilmington get over late stumble to defeat Bideford | 'We were cruising before we lost four wickets for eight runs and ended up making a bit of a meal of it' – Brett Garner

Matt Pyle – miserley bowling for Kilmington

By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

KILMINGTON skipper Brett Garner felt his side made hard work of a three-wicket win over Bideford on another soggy Saturday in the Tolchards Devon Cricket League.

Garner’s men were within a dozen runs of winning the game when wickets started to tumble.

“We were cruising before we lost four wickets for eight runs and ended up making a bit of a meal of it,” said Garner.

Veteran James Ford top scored with 88 – seven fours and three sixes went against his name in the scorebook – and Ollie Hannam made 27. The pair put on 55 for the third wicket.

Ford kept going until he was seventh out on 156. He shared in a handy stand of 54 with John Weeks, who kept his end going with 13.

“James batted really well on a pretty slow pitch,” said Bideford captain Alex Hannam.

Wickets were shared around with four for Ollie Reed, two for Rob Crabb and one each for Matt Pile and Harry Johnstone.

“Matt took one for 14 off nine overs – pretty impressive considering he had not played a game of cricket for 20 months,” said Garner.

Kilmington lost openers Josh Short and Tom Gooding cheaply, but got a move on during a partnership worth 46 between Pile (50) and Billie Reed (34).

Ford broke the stand when he bowled Reed, but by the time the next wicket fell the home side were almost home and dry. Pile was still going and Matt Rockett (43) had helped add another 73.

Spinner Jack Ford (4-43) earned Bideford a couple of bonus points with late strikes as four Kilmington wickets fell for 10 runs scored. Pyle was one of them with three runs needed, by when the game was almost up.

THORVERTON defied conventional thinking with a 146-run win over Heathcoat 2nd XI in one of only two B Division games played to a finish.

Custom and practice if you win the toss on a wet day in Devon is to stick the opposition in. The theory is the side batting first will be bowled out cheaply and the pitch will have improved by the time the side batting second gets to use it.

Thorverton turned that theory upside down by making an impressive 215 for seven in 45 overs then skittling Heathcoat for 69 in reply.

“It was a great effort to get the game on and we showed it's possible to win the after losing the toss on a wet day,” said Choules.

Thors recovered from a nervy start thanks to a third-wicket stand between Paul Fielder (31) and Dan Robbins (68).

“We were in a bit of trouble at 20 for two before Dan and Paul put on 88,” said Choules.

Dave Baldock marked his return to the side with 44 off 33 balls – two sixes, three fours – which was a bonus for the captain.

“It was great to have Dave back and scoring runs too,” said Choules. 

Baldock, Ben Coe (33) and Ben Slaviero (12) put on 78 for the last three wickets.

Slaviero and Jacob Broom (3-14) then gave Heathcoat’s batsmen the hurry up with three wickets each as the visitors slumped to 16 for six in reply. Slaviero then made it 16 for seven when he bowled Will Hill-Tomkin.

Finn Stoneman ground out 21 off 47 balls and captain for the day Paul Elliot contributed 17, but no one else made double figures as Slaverio, Broom, Choules and Alex Jopling (7-0-16-0) kept the pressure on.

Slaviero knocked over two more batters to finish with six wickets for 18 runs.

Said Choules: “I was one of the best spells I've seen Ben Slaviero bowl and Jacob Broom excellent again. Alex Jopling can't stop bowling dot balls.

Victory puts Thorverton (49pts) joint second in the table with Chudleigh. Kilmington (51) top the table.

It’s a great position to be in, but Choules is well aware it is very early days in a very wet season.

“No one is getting carried away as it will be a long and strange season as always in the B Division, but we hope to take the momentum into Bovey Tracey this Saturday,” said Choules.