CONRAD SUTCLIFFE REPORTING

THORVERTON won for the first time since arriving in the A Division when they defeated Exeter by eight runs on the County Ground.

Dan Robbins top scored for Thorverton with 58 off 48 balls – four sixes, three fours – in a total of 230 for seven. Next best were the 56 extras given away by Exeter, which included six runs for taking too long to bowl their overs.

Openers George Greed (32) and Ali Chilcott (32) gave Thorverton a 75-run start then Tom Diamond (41) and Robbins upped the pace by adding exactly 100.

Billy Buckingham with three wickets for 10 runs conceded from 10 overs bowled was easily Exeter’s most economical bowler. Spinner Sam Read (1-29) and Jehan Daniel (1-25) likewise kept it tidy. 

Harry Fisher (57) underpinned the early part of Exeter’s chase and in tandem with Read (61) took the running total to 100 for three.

Although Exeter were never far away from matching the asking rate to win, keeping wickets in hand was a problem.

When Archie Spittles was ninth out on 217 for 43 the game could not have been closer.

Last pair Gore and Mike Wilkinson got Exeter to 222 with 10 balls to go before the latter was stumped having a swing at Andy Pitt.

Spin was king for Thorverton with Pitt (2-21), skipper Jake Choules (3-46) and Alex Jopling (3-39) the primary wicket takers.

Choules admitted it was a tight game, but added: “I felt we deserved it on the balance of play.”

Choules also praised Exeter for their sportsmanship for allowing a sub fielder for Robbins, who dislocated his shoulder during the second innings.

“Fittingly the sub was Imogen Daldorph, who turns out for Exeter Ladies and Thorverton 2nds XI,” said Choules.

Mark Gribble, who was deputising as skipper for the unavailable Robin Fern, said the massive number of extras was not the only contributory factor in his side’s defeat.

“We gave our wickets away too with some poor shot selections when the run chase was in control,” said Gribble.

“A painful day for us, but congratulations to Thorverton.”