Devon D West

Yelverton Bohemians v Whitchurch Wayfarers

WITH the teams separated in the league by only two points prior to the match, not to the mention the wet conditions, both teams were doubly keen to win the toss. It was the Whitchurch skipper, Ben Powell, who called correctly and invited Yelverton to bat.

The opening exchanges, on a hard but slightly grassy pitch, were somewhat cagey from both sides, with Yelverton openers Luke Julyan and Geoff Brain struggling to get the ball away on the wet outfield, and Whitchurch opening bowlers Darren Sambells (0-16) and David Northey (1-35) sending down a few wides before finding their range. 

Yelverton’s first wicket fell as they looked to push on after a steady start – Brain being run out for one in the eighth over after a mix-up with opening partner Julyan. Tighter bowling from Sambells and Northey kept a lid on the run rate, before Julyan was well held in the gully by  Marc Kerswill off of a rising short ball from Northey for 9.

Remaining batsman Richard Townsend was joined by Christiaan Van Niekerk and, although the Wayfarers were unfortunate to see several edges fall between fielders, the pair were effective in putting away the bad balls and ran well between the wickets. After a partnership worth 76 runs, both were trapped lbw in quick succession, Van Niekerk for 45 to Kerswill (2-32), who was producing a good variety of turn and bounce, and Townsend for 47 to Josh Meadows (2-47), who was extracting some good seam movement, to leave Yelverton at 127-4. The Bohemians pushed on, despite the loss of Giles Beauchamp (6) who was well caught by Dan Poole at mid-off from the bowling of Kerswill, Henry Webster (16), caught and bowled by Meadows shortly after a typically muscular straight six, and captain Dan Cooper (4), trapped lbw by Clive Marais (1-23).

The experienced Chris Vinson (29) carried the innings forwards, dispatching one six before being caught by Meadows off of the bowling of Poole (1-34).  The innings ended at 215-8 after some big hitting from Hadleigh Scott-Kirk (18 not out) and Steve Colmer (12 not out) in the last few overs.

The Wayfarers were missing in form batsmen Towl and Hall. They needed a solid start to have any hope of reaching 215. Whitchurch lost Robert Powell to a nasty Scott-Kirk delivery, but Ben Powell and Nigel Barriball marshalled the bowling well and punished any loose deliveries.

Yelverton made the breakthrough with the score on 76, Powell being bowled by Casey around his legs for 34. Barriball maintained the scoring rate, before a superb low catch at mid off by Webster saw him depart for 38 off the bowling of Casey.

With Whitchurch at 101-3 after 19 overs, the game was in the balance, but further bowling changes by Yelverton saw the game turn in their favour. As Van Niekerk (1-25) kept it tight at one end, the rarely-seen left arm seamers of Townsend (3-16) were introduced at the other. 

Tom Cotter, Marais and Poole contrived to hit short balls from Townsend straight to Yelverton fielders, who made no mistake with the catches, two of which were confidently claimed by Casey. 

This left the Wayfarers at 108-6. In amongst the carnage, Meadows had stood tall at the other end and continued to pose the Bohemians problems, striking a number of powerful boundaries. However, shortly after Van Niekerk trapped Ben Hodge lbw for 6; Meadows’ excellent knock was ended on 44 runs by the returning Scott-Kirk, the batsman a little unlucky to pick out Brain patrolling between point and straight mid off. With the score at 143-8, the pendulum had swung Yelverton’s way, and they made no mistake in finishing the job. 

Despite some defiant blows from Sambells (9no), pacey deliveries from Scott-Kirk (4-37) saw Kerswill and Northey’s middle stumps uprooted and completed a victory for Yelverton with the Whitchurch innings closing on 156 all out.

The Bohemians nose further ahead of the Wayfarers in the race for the crucial top three placings in the league.