Thorverton still looking for a way out of the bottom two after Ottery defeat

THORVERTON 2nd XI are still looking for a way out of the D East bottom two following a two-wicket reversal at the hands of Ottery St Mary.

Andy Daldorph (59) top scored for Thorverton in an all-out total of 219. Along the way he put on 0 with James Meredith and 41 with Paul Thomas (34).

Paul Stirling (27) and acting captain David Baldock (17) added 58 for the fourth wicket in the only other partnership of note.

Wickets were shared in the top half of the order – Will Harrison (2-34) had a couple – with Zac Johns (4-30) feasting on the lower downs.

Ottery appeared to be coasting to victory at 190 for three with runs in the book for Steve Forbes (53) and Dave Weeks. It was a different picture at 199 for six with Weeks out for 82 – Jack Stirling (3-29) doing the damage – and a little gloomier at 203 for seven.

Charlie Mitchell (15no) got Ottery over the line with six overs to spare, despite a run-out scare in the over beforehand.

Thorverton need to find 15 points to get ahead of Clyst Hydon and out of the bottom two.

Clyst Hydon suffered a 147-run battering when they ran into D East promotion chasers Whimple.

Whimple’s top four all made sizeable contributions to a team total of 288 for seven in 45 overs.

Openers Mike Searle (50) and Nathan Bright (28) hoisted 7 for starters, then Andrew Codling and Fraser Campbell got stuck into the Hydon bowling.

Campbell made 49 and Codling contributed 45 to a partnership that added 101 to the total. Codling reached 89 before he was prised out with the score on 279 for seven.

Codling came back with the new ball to grab a couple of wickets, but there were few issues at the other end as Hydon got to 105 for three. Graham Trude (27) and Haris Reshi (3) were the main run getters.

Losing Reshi then Newman (17) to Keith Brown (2-37) was the start of Hydon’s slide to 141 all out. Batting two short due to absences did not help.

Greg Benson (2-20) got in on the wicket taking act as Hydon faded away.

Topsham St James went back to the bottom of the D Division East table following a 110-run defeat at the hands of promotion-hunters Upottery.

Thorverton were below TSJ going into round eight, but earned more points from their defeat by Ottery to trade places in the bottom two. There is only a point in it.

Upottery batsman James Mitcham’s run of centuries had to end eventually. It did against Topsham, but only just.

Having reeled off five successive centuries in the league, Mitcham (95) was five runs short of a sixth when he was bowled by Nibu

Thomas.

Jack Larcombe (8) was the other main contributor to Upottery’s final tally of 244 for four. He and Mitcham put on 172 for the second wicket.

Thomas and Jack Meill claimed two wickets each for TSJ.

Topsham got to 10 for four in reply without too many issues. Jacob Taylor (33) and Ross Treleaven (55) supplied most of the runs.

A middle-order collapse to 124 for eight with Treleaven among them signalled the end of the chase.

Robert Machin picked-up five wickets for 2 runs and there were two apiece for Ryan Pulman and Matt Frost as table-toppers skittled TSJ for 131.