Topsham SJ return to winning ways | Dhayal and Treleaven bowl out Bideford | Weeks (pictured) and Stevens only Bideford batters to last long

Bideford

TOPSHAM St James 1stXI returned to winning ways against Bideford 2ndXI last Saturday. Following the hot conditions the week before vs. Clyst St. George, heavy overnight rain meant the game was lucky to start at all – with play eventually starting just after 2pm with a 35-over-per-side match. 

Bideford captain Darren Willcocks, understandably, chose to bowl first. Topsham then managed to make 174 for 3 off their 35 overs, due largely to a superb 96 not out off 104 balls by Aiden Pring, playing his first game after injury. He was given good support by Jon Sapwell (20), Ross Treleaven (22) and Neil Shillabeer (17 not out). Pring was unlucky not to have a better shot at making his hundred, but wasn’t on strike to face much of the last over.

Bideford’s reply started uneventfully before they lost Keith Berry and Fionn Toland, both off the bowling of Ross Treleaven, leaving them 21 for 2. Jon Weeks then started to attack before he was bowled by Jeary for 33. When Cleave was caught behind off Charlie Ferraro, Bideford were in trouble at 51 for 4. 

In came Pete Stevens, who in customary quick fashion hit 59 off 43 balls, taking his side well past the 100 mark. All of a sudden Bideford looked the more likely to win; the Saints shelled a few catches and, with Stevens scoring quickly, the required run rate began to drop. A couple of heavy showers saw the total revised to 165. 

Eventually, though, Charlie Ferraro clung on to dismiss Stevens for 59, and Bideford then wobbled as they lost 4 wickets for 11 runs. Narender Dhayal picked up three key wickets; Matt Williams plucked a catch from the sky to tilt the game back towards Topsham;  and Ferraro it was who claimed the final wicket with the score on 145, leaving Topsham winners by 19 runs. 

Ross Treleaven was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 4 for 23 off his 7 overs, Nari Dhayal (3 for 34 off 7) and Charlie Ferraro (2 for 25) gave good support. A special mention also to under-15 wicketkeeper Jeremy Tojy, who took 4 catches behind the stumps in another good first team performance. 

Overall this was a close game which could have gone either way. Topsham St James will be pleased with the foundations laid by Pring’s innings, and with the way they persevered in the field when things started to go against them. The Saints are at home again to Thorverton 2ndXI this Saturday.