1stXI v Bovey Tracey
Bovey Tracey were the latest guests to Mount Wise and had heavily backed themselves in the press to come away with an easy victory. The pitched looked hard and dry. The debate on whether to bat or bowl first was made redundant as Monks lost the toss and we were invited to bat first. The pitch generally would have been a bat first deck, but against statistically the best batting team in the league (they had collected max batting points in every game so far) the pressure was on to get a big score.
We did not get off to a good start when both openers were back in the hutch with the only 22 runs on the board. Nick Read was going well, dispatched an almighty six off Bougourd only to be bowled the following delivery and then the promising looking Fridge Jury leaving a ball that spun a country mile from Devon spinner Chris Bradley and being clean bowled. Our aims of posting a big total looked a million miles away as we sat at 46-4. A mini revival through a partnership of 36 between Steve Luffman and Luke Minnet looked promising before Luke was adjudicated LBW from Bradley, Rob Button followed next ball in the same fashion from the same bowler left us 82-6. Luffers was again looking solid and with the watchful Dave Burke at the other end the two steadied the ship. Steve was next out caught for a well made 32. Dave managed to bat through in a determined fashion to make 19 off 80odd balls, and with the assistance of some late order runs through Matt Hooper (11) and Charlie Hill (16) along with an ever helpful 29 extras we set a target of 163 for Bovey to chase. The middle and lower order did really well in getting us up to a total which gave us a chance when at one stage it looked as though we could have crumbled to 80 all out.
Dave, as usual, wrapped the opener, Ayres (who Bovey had been suggesting in the press should replace the current incumbent Sandy Allen as Devon’s wicketkeeper/batsman) on the pads first ball and we all had a good shout only for it to be turned down, much to everybody’s amazement. Fortunately we did not have to wait long to celebrate as Dave knocked his middle peg over next delivery. A JP maiden followed before Dave proceeded to trap Seager LBW in his next over – Bovey on the ropes at 0-2. With Dave swinging the ball round corners and JP bowling like greased lightning, the two of them showed the importance of bowling straight and making the top order play at everything as they dismantled the Bovey top order, leaving them 32-5 with all the wickets being LBW or bowled. JP then snared another caught in the slips to further tighten the screw on Bovey at 59-6. Dave battled though the pain to complete his 15 over allowance despite pulling his groin only 5 overs in to finish with great figures of 5-38. Bovey, despite being in a precarious position were not out of the game as captain Pete Bradley had dropped down the order, as had the dangerous Andy Kingdom who had damaged his hand whilst fielding. The two of them played with freedom and power and began to swing some momentum back to Bovey. Bradley fell for 28 and De-Young was run out for 10. Number 10, opening bowler Bougourd, then came in an proceeded to bat like a leading county batsman, looking solid and composed as the total gradually got closer and closer. The total got to 141, a partnership of 40 and only 21 more required for an unlikely win for Bovey when JP returned and found some nip to clean bowl Bougourd for a fluent 18. It was the start of an interesting over and one which made us think it may not be our day. The very next delivery at the Bovey number 11, JP got through the shaky defence to get a plumb LBW, unfortunately the umpire had called a no-ball! A couple of balls later, they Bovey batsmen tried to take a quick single and offered a tough run-out chance which we were unable to take, bringing Kingdom back on strike. He had a swish at JP and Chilli took a good catch at mid-on, but again the umpire called a no-ball… Chilli however was not to be denied taking his winning catch as Nick returned from the top end and the Bovey no.11 swept to a tumbling Chilli at square leg who clamed the catch and give Plymouth a well earned maiden victory for the year.
Against all odds at 82-6 against one of the fancied teams in the league to come back and win showed a lot of guts and spirit, along with some fantastic bowling from Dave & JP, backed up by Hoops, Nick and Chilli.
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