SPECTATORS at Whitchurch House were served up a thriller as Whitchurch Wayfarers 1st XI hosted Bridestowe & Belstone 2nd XI in a must win fixture for the Wayfarers.

Bridestowe won the toss and elected to bat. It would be over six and half hours in bright sun before the result was finally decided.

Whitchurch bowlers raised themselves to the task and bowled tightly, restricting the batsmen to a meagre 18 off the first ten overs. Captain Potts rung the changes and by the first drinks break, had used four of his bowlers.

Right through the first innings, it was a tight battle between bat and ball. The fall of Brimacombe for a carefully crafted 23 brought in Penberthy (45). He dealt solely in boundaries sending the fielding side to the limits of the fielding restrictions and even disturbing resting cows in the adjacent field.

His demise to a well taken catch in the deep by Goodfellow brought much relief. Veteran Lavis (34) anchored the lower order as Bridestowe edged their score ever higher. Meanwhile Whitchurch picked up valuable bowling points. Hall and Potts both taking good catches. Bridestowe closed on 240-9.

Whitchurch’s reply was equally circumspect. Shortly after the first drinks break, they were 72-4, the advantage was with Bridestowe. Whitchurch’s top order back in the pavilion and Bridestowe bowling well.

What Whitchurch desperately needed was someone to hold their nerve and build partnerships. Ben Hodge filled that role; his solid 45 blunted the Bridestowe attack. A partnership of 31 with Charlie Goodfellow was followed by a swashbuckling 80 with Ed Roberts.

Roberts, riding his luck, struck an entertaining 78 that changed the game. When Hodge fell at 183, Whitchurch needed 58 off the remaining 12 overs.

With Kerswill (18), Roberts chipped away at the total picking off the available singles. Whitchurch won by four wickets.

The win takes Whitchurch out of the relegation zone leaving their future in their own hands. A tough fixture away to Cornwood 3rd XI will be the season finale.

For the Wayfarers’ 2nd XI meanwhile, it was the story of their season - losing a game they should have won.

Whitchurch won the toss and fielded first with only three recognised bowlers against Cornwood 4th XI. Despite the early bonus of Knight being caught by Sleep off Jones, the Corns rattled along scoring 80 off the first 8 overs.

Payne (4-33) and Webber (1-34) then gained some control, aided by some good fielding and poor running.

Three run outs stemmed the Corns progress. Offer (35) and Travers (28) were the principal Corns scorers aided by 35 extras. Cornwood were dismissed within 30 overs for 161. Whitchurch went to tea looking at a potential victory.

The reply could not have started in worse fashion. Within the first few overs, Whitchurch were 8-3. A slight breather before the scoreboard bleakly announced 28-4.

Tamblin and Endean (36) brought solidity to the Whitchurch reply. Punishing bad balls, they added 68 for the fifth wicket. 96-4 and Whitchurch were surprisingly back in command.

Cornwood’s Lennon Way came on to bowl and promptly changed the match. His first five deliveries produced four wickets and, in a flash, Whitchurch went from 105-5 to 105-9. Game over. Whitchurch all out for 122, Tamblin stranded on 34 not out.

While Whitchurch could still mathematically avoid relegation, they need a final-day win against promotion chasing South Brent and other results to go their way.