Today's date is

Tuesday 1st August

Home v Halberton & Sampford Peverell - TNLFC Semi Final

As is quite often the case with this cup, the opposition managed to find some overseas players and fielded a strong team with a different line up to the one that they would normally put out on a Saturday in the Devon league.
Mike won the toss and put H & SP into bat, hoping for some assistance early on from the pitch. It wasn't forthcoming, and the openers picked up quick singles when they weren't finding the boundary. As one batsman reached the permitted 40 before retiring, so came another who if anything was better than the man he replaced. However it didn't all go the oppositions way as the Cheriton bowling although maybe not at it's best did slow the scoring down in the middle part of their innings and a big total was restricted to merely a good one!
There was a time when 166 would have been beyond us, mentally as well as physically, but with Mike fielding another of his dream teams, the target was not out of sight. However the H & SP bowling was tight and accurate and after 12 overs when Ben and Phil found themselves at the crease the run rate was 12+. Ben then played the sort of innings we have been waiting for all season, hitting some great shots and suddenly putting a doubt in the oppositions minds. Had he not had to retire things might have been different, but then their total would probably have been over the 200 mark if that was the case. With light fading and balls running out the run rate crept over 14 an over and try as they did, Nick and Phil were anuble to get the runs.
A good effort and a decent game played in a good spirit. All Cheriton's bowlers bowled well, with Jeremy and Eric being the cream of the crop. Robbie and Jeremy, put in as pinch hitters did well with the bat and Charles can feel unlucky to have been caught by a spectacular full length diving catch on the boundary.
Good luck to Halberton & Sampford Peverell in the final next weeek. PC

Here we have the story of our innings. Mike, Charles, Robbie and Jeremy all playing and missing.

Thursday 4th August

Home v Crediton Inn

Report to follow.

Friday 5th August

Away v Beer Engine

Report to follow.

Sunday 6th August

Away v Bishops Nympton NDL

This match was called a "mighty clash" according to the Devon Cricket website, for some it was a mighty hard ground to find! Bishops Nympton have a very pretty ground with spectacular views of the Devon countryside and Dartmoor in the distance. They don't however have the best wicket in the world and one of the many captains we had today thought it would be best to win the toss and put them in to bat. Ted, captain (on paper) lost the toss but we still got to field first.
The whole pitch is on quite an angle with the wicket running across the slope. Ben was given the new ball and he chose to bowl with the wind, leaving Phil to bowl into it from the other end. The slope played a big part as all bowlers (some more than others) found it difficult to adjust and gave away more wides perhaps than they usually would. Bishops Nympton opened with a slogging pinch hitter who smashed a few boundaries before Phil removed his leg stump. Ben bowled the better line though and took 2 wickets in his first spell to leave the home side stumbling on 50 for 3. Robbie joined the action and bowled well apart from the odd one which strayed down the hill and was duly despatched to the boundary. However he finally got his wicket as we made our way through the middle order. It was a day for catches with no fewer than 7 dismissals going to hand. without a drop anywhere. Steve took a smart legside catch off the gloves of the no.3 who sportingly walked as the umpire standing up wind didn't hear anything. Your reporter was on the boundary down wind and was one of the voices asking the umpire "the" question! Brent, Andy twice, Peter, Mike and Dave with a good sprawling dive were the others to help the cause. Ted was the main beneficiary of all this action, having three of his first five fer for the club caught, with the other two going LBW and bowled to wrap up the Bishops Nympton innings on 144 having only bowled 37 of the allotted 45 overs.
After an excellent early tea, the usual pairing of Mike and Peter opened the batting. Mike hit two superb sixes up the hill before getting a ball that rose sharply off the uneven surface, hitting the shoulder of the bat and spooning to slip for an easy catch. Both players had looked quite capable of chalking off the runs until that moment. Phil joined Peter (not Peter Cutlet as the Devon Cricket website has it !) and proceeded to nick and edge balls all through his innings, finding the bounce difficult to read. However with only 2 or 3 runs per over needed, both batsmen could bide their time. despite remonstrations from the more youthful members of the team who were very keen to taste the local brew! So when Peter was out, caught at slip in a similar fashion to Mike, one of the afore mentioned - Ben - strode to the wicket with the intent of getting things moving. This he did, hitting a very quick 29, most of which came in boundaries. However he failed to connect properly with one delivery and was caught at mid on. This brought Jeremy to the wicket, who with Phil saw Cheriton over the winning line (with the aid of 4 byes for the winning runs) and 20 more points, cementing our place at the top of the Division 5 table.
Destiny is in our own hands now. With just three league matches left we are almost guaranteed promotion. The next match will be the tester,(we've said that before the last two matches!) away to Barnstaple & Pilton III on a day when their second team doesn't have a match, so are likely to be bolstered with stronger players than when they visited us last month. After that we entertain Nomansland and finish the season at home to Ilfracombe II, two matches we ought to win.
We all found our way to the local inn, although it did take some a little longer than others, where Ted was celebrating his 5 fer with not one but two jugs - well he, Ben, Jeremy and David had got there first and finished the first one before the rest of us arrived! More sandwiches were provided and all had a rather "splendid time" as Blowers might say. Bishops Nympton are a very friendly lot who played the game in good humour despite their loss, and may be joining us (hopefully) in division 4 next season. PC

Scorecard Bishops Nympton 146 all out Cheriton 150 for 3 Cheriton Bowling B.Coe 9-1-31-3 P.Cutler 9-1-25-1 R.Keight 9-1-35-1 T.Brigden  9-2-34-5 D.Carr  1-0-5-0 - - Cheriton Batting 1 M.Foan + Caught 20   2 P.Blight Caught 23   3 P.Cutler Not Out 47   4 B.Coe Caught 29   5 J.Tricks Not Out 4   6 D.Carr Retired 40   7 T.Brigden Not Out 21   8 A.Hartley Bowled 7   9 S.Stentiford † Not Out 7   10 B.English - -   11 R.Keight - -       Extras 27       TOTAL 150 for 3 Result Won by 7 Wkts

This picture doesn't do the slope justice, but believe me it's there!

Tuesday 8th August

Away v Met Office EEL

Report to follow.

Sunday 13th August

Away v Geriatrics

It was a windy and overcast afternoon in Exeter, conditions we have not been used to recently. This, combined with an artificial pitch that bounced for the slow bowlers may go someway to explain what happened, but it does not excuse it......
Charles won the toss and elected to bat, so Peter and Mike strapped them on and went out to open. They were doing well until Peter cut one straight to point and Mike played all round a straight full toss. In between these two lapses David Carr had a shocker of an LBW decision and so it was up to Charles and Ted to re-build things. This they did with some nurdles for one from Charles and some impressive boundary hitting from Ted. This pair took the score along nicely until they were parted with 20 or so minutes until tea. Ted stayed out there to make an impressive 85 not out, Ben R, Steve and Will doing their best to give him all the bowling they could. I have checked the rules, and Robbie's run out does count as a golden duck - 1 min, 1 ball, 0 runs.....
202 was short of the 220 that we had wanted, but if we bowled well it could be enough..
Ted opened up the hill, Will getting the slope and the wind. Both passed the bat and bowled some good balls, but neither could take a wicket. Robbie replaced Ted and immediately had the opener out thanks to a very good catch down the leg side from Steve. David C then got into the act, replacing his brother down the hill. Things went well for the next few overs, wickets fell and Steve produced some excellent work behind the stumps. Mike and Steve also combined to execute a smart run out. Geriatrics went into the last 15 overs needing between 6 and 7 an over, it was going to be close!
Unfortunately the wheels then fell off the bowling. Robbie got the same sort of treatment he received playing for Rackenford on Saturday and David's last over will (or should) haunt him for some time to come. Ted tried to bring things back as did Andy Hartley, but with only 4 an over needed it was hard work. As a last throw of the dice with the Geriatrics 7 down and cruising, the Captain bravely brought on his partnership breakers. Andy G was took a wicket in his second over but it was not enough and they got home without further loss.
It was a good close game against opponents who always play enjoyable friendly cricket and played well to win.
Some bright points in an otherwise fairly bland performance from CFCC were Ted's batting, Ben R's fielding and particularly Steve's wicket keeping. Maybe it was because it was a friendly, but we did not have the cutting edge that we have had. There are a number of things we must improve for next week and as a side we must show a little more spirit and commitment at Barnstaple if we are to confirm top spot in the league. CS.