Topsham St. James 2nd XI v Filleigh 2nd XI
played at Exeter University ground, Topsham on Saturday 31st August, 2024
Harry Everett reports on the H Division Central’s final Saturday of the 2024 season.
Two under-strength sides produced an excellent game of cricket that could have gone either way until the very end. Winning the toss, Topsham decided to bat, and got off to a good start, with Jon Hull setting anchor while Adam Cooper (11) and Jamie Rose (16) got the score to 51 before the second wicket fell. Hull (11) went at the same score, and when George Glanvill was out for a well-hit 22 of the 25 scored while he was at the wicket, things began to look a little dodgy for the home side.
Fortunately they had Sam Luddington, who made Hull’s anchor role look like a positive gallop, and Joel Armstrong, who really did gallop to 47 off 52 balls in a fine display of attacking cricket. Once he was out, only Alex Davison (12) with three well-struck fours made any real contribution, apart from Luddington who, adapting his game to the exigencies of the situation, went on the attack and ended with a thoroughly well-deserved 37, which led his side to the relative prosperity of 178, albeit with three overs unutilised.
The Filleigh bowling was generally steady, and only young Sammy Nicholson was unlucky enough not to take a wicket. The ageless Kevin Toze had 2-32 and he was joined by Rupert Henry with 2-40. Chris Gosney (1-19) imposed a mid-innings stranglehold on the scoring, and the other single-wicket-takers were Dan Edwards (for 22 runs) and Henry Peters (for 46). The star turn, however, was Henry’s dad Chris, who bowled the last over of the innings and ended, to everybody’s amazement, not least his own, with 3-1.
When Filleigh batted they quickly lost James Windsor, excellently caught by Sam Luddington off Joel Armstrong, but Lewis Williams threatened to run away with things. He hit a fine attacking 62 off 73 balls, and while he was in a victory for the visitors was very much on the cards. He was well-supported by Henry Peters, who played some classical shots in compiling 20, but when they were out the innings rather fell apart. Mish Syed (10 not out) did his best, but nobody could stay with him until that man Chris Peters, last to bat as he was to bowl, applied the long handle to good effect. Just for a moment Filleigh sniffed victory, but the target was too great, and when Peters (13) was well caught by Alex Davison the innings was all over for 153, leaving Topsham victors by 25 runs.
Topsham used nine bowlers, the pick of whom was 14-year-old Oscar McAleer, with his best adult return, a fine 3-14, and man-of-the-match Luddington, with 3-12, including the vital wicket of Williams. He again out-achieved his mentor, the nevergreen (his word, not mine!) Gary Salter who nevertheless bowled with his usual class, took 2-27 and imposed some order just when it looked as if Filleigh were getting into top gear. The other wicket-takers were Joel Armstrong (1-14) and the third off-spinner, Adam Cooper (1-11).
Topsham took 19 points to Filleigh's 8, and then Topsham celebrated their divisional-championship winning season with an excellent barbecue and just possibly the odd drink or two.
