Harry Everett reports on Topsham finally getting their Super 8s campaign up and running on the first Sunday in July!
So far in this season’s Super8s competition, the weather had been the only winner with Topsham St James (TSJ) managing to complete just one batting innings from their four scheduled matches. Unfortunately, the weather again had an impact on the final weekend of fixtures with only one match out of the three group games being played.
Winning the toss, captain, Clare Pym, chose to field and the opening overs saw the Exmouth batters taking control of the game. They reached a score of 39 before opener Adele Fulner (10) saw her stumps knocked over by Rosie Miller, who proceeded to take the wicket of Debbie Spillings (11) in her next over thanks to an excellent one-handed catch by Lucy Humphreys. Miller’s second wicket for just two runs in an excellent spell.
Anna Higgins (18*) and Alison Snell (2) were only able to add another 10 runs before Claire Pym (1-23) claimed the wicket of the latter with Emily Bacon holding onto a lofted ball. With rain having reduced the innings to 14 overs, Exmouth continued to get runs at a consistent pace, ending their time at the crease on a score of 94, with Molly Knight Smith finishing 3*.
With rain forecast, the TSJ batters were keen to set off at a quick pace and when Miller dispatched the first ball for six, it seemed like the tone had been set. However, the quick start was suddenly halted in the third over when two wickets in two balls – Miller being bowled by Spillings and Emily Bacon being run out by Sharon Dawkins after slipping between the wickets.
These two wickets, with the score on just 14, brought Clare Pym and Lucy Humphreys to the middle and it was this partnership that proved too much for the Exmouth bowlers. Humphreys hitting a quick 30 from 20 balls, including six fours, to retire not out with the TSJ score now at 72, and the team needing 23 from the final five overs to win.
However, two more quick wickets (Charlotte Austen-Rigby and Jamie-Lee Benson both for 0) saw a few nerves creep in. Imogen Perry joined her captain in the middle and together they guided the team to victory with Perry finishing on 1* and Pym ending her innings on 24*, including four 4s.
The victory, including a batting bonus point, saw TSJ climb to the top of the group table. Unfortunately, the rain then set in and caused the TSJ game against Bovey Tracey and Exmouth vs Bovey Tracey to be cancelled, meaning that Topsham St James should win the Super8s central group and move onto finals day later in the season.
