Chetwynd Sports Tamar League

Yelverton v Ordulph Taverners

YELVERTON won the toss and elected to bat.

Ordulph opening bowlers Lethbridge and Folley made runs hard to come by for the Yelverton openers Sandell (25) and Merriman (14). Patient batting though enabled them to slowly move the score along to 34 without loss.

Although the run rate was slow Ordulph knew that Yelverton wickets in hand would be a danger to them so it was important that a breakthrough was made soon.

This came in the 14th over when in a two over spell Jan Folley (2 for 30 off 12) removed both the Yelverton openers with an lbw and a sharp take from behind by keeper Baskerville.

Lethbridge (1 for 25), removed Yelverton number three before finishing his spell of 12 overs.

Yelverton pair of D Newton (14) and Lowson (11) were bowled by Smith and Bellamy respectively.

Next was an inspirational spell of bowling from Bellamy who ripped through the Yelverton middle order and tail taking four wickets in seven overs. The Yelverton innings ended on 103 all out.

Needing less than three runs an over the Ordulph set about their task with the required patient batting, despite losing Statton in the second over, Rotton and Coad moved the score along steadily.

The Yelverton opening bowler Davies (1 for 32) was a constant threat but Coad and Rotton (38) batting sensibly took the score along to 45 after 16 overs.

Yelverton?s skipper Day then gambled by making two bowling changes and brought on two slower bowlers in Newton (4 for 32) and Munton.

The Yelverton pair made inroads into the Ordulph batting. A quick-fire thrash by Bellamy (17) looked like restoring the advantage to the Ordulph, but when he and Rotton fell to Munton (3 for 14) it left the Ordulph tail batsmen still requiring 25 runs to win.

With the reintroduction now of Day and Davies back into the attack the balance looked to be back in Yelverton?s favour, needing only to see off the two or three Ordulph tail batsmen.

Yelverton however did not bank on the tenacity of Baskerville (9) and Hodges (14) who ran and scampered singles and edges wherever they could and took the score down to four required before Baskerville fell to Davies.

Down now to the last over with one wicket left the atmosphere was electric and any result was still possible.

Fittingly it was Ordulph man of the match Hodges with his league best score of 14 that saw the Ordulph home with a couple of well run twos backed up by Reed (0 not out) with only three balls to spare.

Yelverton must be commended on their part in this thriller and fought right up to virtually the last ball.

This week Ordulph entertain Launceston at Kelly College.