AN excellent team performance meant that Whitchurch Ladies Cricket Team almost beat champions Isca for the first time ever. Exeter based Isca have been league winners for the past two seasons. Whitchurch won the toss and put the home team into bat. Jo Austin and Candy Capeling opened the bowling for the visitors and after their first spell the score stood at a respectable 22 for 1 off 8 overs. Cathy Griffin also contributed hugely returning figures of four wickets for 12 runs off her seven overs. Whitchurch took wickets at regular intervals finally claiming eight Isca wickets for 149 runs after the allotted 35 overs. Whitchurch league debutante Sarah Murphy impressed with her enthusiastic fielding. The Whitchurch opening bats were faced with a Devon bowling pairing of Jackie Summers and Gemma Jones. Jones?s spin trickery was rewarded in the 4th over when opener Griffin top edged to fine leg. Lesley Smith and Cath Amore moved the score onto 75 when Summers and Jones were returned early to the attack to stem the runs. Smith edged Summers to the wicket keeper and this was closely followed by a further three quick wickets being lost with only 20 runs being added. This brought Candy Capeling to the crease and she scored a quickfire 20 including one huge 6. This rapid 20 along with top scoring Cath Amores? solid 57 helped make this the closest match yet between champions Isca and visitors Whitchurch. The spirit and atmosphere with which the tense contest was played in was a credit to the game of cricket and was thoroughly enjoyed by players, umpires and spectators alike Final Result: Isca won with 149 for 9 off 35 overs. Whitchurch 145 for 6 off 35 overs.
