Devon C West

Bridestowe v Yelverton

YELVERTON grabbed a thrilling last ball, two wicket win at Bridestowe. The visitors won the toss and elected to field first.

Bridestowe started slowly with both Sizmur and Fogerty consistently hitting the ball to fielders. In the ninth over Fogerty caressed two to the boundary and Sizmur followed suit in the following over to take the score to 28-0 after 10 overs. The pair began to accelerate and reached 47 before Fogerty (26) was bowled by Van Niekerk in his first over. He also bowled Hatton in the same over with one, getting the visitors back into the game.

Mark Fogerty and Sizmur steadied things and took the score to 86-2 at drinks. Sizmur was then bowled for a patient 41 with another good delivery by Van Niekerk (4-28). Soon after Fogerty cut a short ball straight to point and the game was back in the balance at 110-4 with 13 overs remaining.

Captain Butler was sent up the order to up the rate but he was caught off West. Khan and Ewen took the score past 125 with some attacking shots before Ewen was bowled by West (4-33) for 12. Khan and Dan Fogerty continued to attack and a couple of sixes from Khan (43) took the score over 150. Both men were out caught, and Jopling was bowled, leaving Lavis and Griffiths to get the home side over 175. On 178 Griffiths holed out to the huge deep square leg boundary to end a decent effort with the bat for Bridestowe.

The Yelverton chase also got off to a slow start thanks to accurate spells from Lavis and Fogerty. The first ten overs went by without much event before James Ewen got a run out with a quick throw in to Mark Fogerty who dislodged the bails.

The score crept along until Khan was introduced and Brain showed some intent by hitting him over his head for two boundaries. Sizmur bowled Townsend to leave Yelverton at 52-2. Van Niekerk went on the attack while Brain looked to up the tempo.

Van Niekerk tried one shot too many to Sizmur and was caught by Ewen for a quick fire 26. The Yelverton score passed 100 and it was looking as though they would win comfortably. However, wickets began to tumble to Sizmur (3-37) and Khan (2-42) and another run out put the game back in the balance. When Brain finally fell lbw to Khan for a well made 76, Bridestowe sensed a chance of victory.

Butler stepped up to bowl the last two overs from one end, with Khan bowling the other. Butler picked up a wicket first ball thanks to a good low catch by Dan, and the rest of the over went for only four. Khan's over went for just one, leaving four needed from the final Butler over.

Three dot balls built the pressure further, and a scampered single left three needed from two balls. Another play and miss left three needed from the last ball to win. The batsman again missed the ball and they scampered a bye to short third man, Bridestowe thought they had got home by one run but to their dismay, and Yelverton's jubilation, the umpire signalled wide to leave the scores tied with one ball left. The batsman hit the ball down by his feet and set off for the single and scampered home.

Yelverton had won off the last ball by two wickets; an excellent game which neither side really deserved to lose.