WHITCHURCH seconds travelled to fellow strugglers Ipplepen still looking for their first win of the season. After losing the toss, they were invited to bat first on a good hard track. Heatley and Hall made a bright start aided by some errant bowling which yielded 28 wides in total. Hay (2-35) kept things tight at one end, whilst runs were picked off at the other. Pete Freedman nurdled the ball around well for 33 as Whitchurch built a solid base. At 80 for 3, they looked set to post a challenging total. However, their collapse came later than in previous weeks, as they then slumped to 139-8. Daymond (16) and Tamblin (21) the only batsman to get in, as wickets were thrown away against the gentle loop of Wildgoose (3-30). Whitchurch?s tail performed its usual wag, with Richie Freedman (26no) and Horler (16no) batting out the final 6 overs, to close the innings on 176 for 9. In reply, Ipplepen struggled early on, in the face of some aggressive bowling from Stokes (2 for 20) and at the half way stage were well behind the run rate. The dismissal of Alsop for 29, brought Quartley to the crease. He launched some lusty blows before being well caught by Freedman off Alford for 32. As wickets fell the game was very much in the balance at 147-7 with 5 overs to go. Pens could have opted to bat out the overs, but on a large ground were able to pick off singles, with the occasional boundary. With 5 needed off the final over, they squeezed home with 3 balls to spare.
