|
Posted:
Sunday 23rd August 2009
Source: Stephen Birley
Bradninch were engaged in an extraordinary
contest on Saturday afternoon when, at Kensham
Park, visiting North Devon were staring down the
barrel of being the side to be bundled out for
the lowest score EVER in a Francis Clark Devon
Premier League game!
Eliot Acton and his cousin Ross Acton opened the
bowling and the visitors’ wickets fell at 0, 1,
4, 4, and 10 and when the 6th fell at just 13
the record books were being consulted.
The lowest ever total in the top-flight is the
29 scored by Chudleigh against Plympton in 2007
but the men from Instow, who had hammered
Bradninch six days earlier in the semi-final of
the Devon Twenty20, managed to restore some
pride as their tail wagged before they closed on
129 after just 4.3 overs.
Eliot Acton was the pick of the seam successes
with 5-43 from ten overs. Cousin Ross claimed
3-18 in 14 overs and there were other wickets
for Paul Nott (1-22 in 7) and Richard Foan (1-1
in 3 balls). The unsuccessful bowlers on the day
were skipper Joel Murphy (0-27 in 8) and Jack
Horton (0-16 in 2).
It looked like the run chase may be a tad more
difficult than expected after the loss of
openers Dan Hardy (2) and Gary Newall (1) but
Tim Piper went on to score an unbeaten 42 and,
after Richard Foan was dismissed for yet another
low score, teenager Joe Webb stroked the ball
around superbly to bring up victory with an
unbeaten 55 as a seven-wicket success was sealed
after 27.4 overs.
Murphy’s men sit 4th in the table with one match
day to play. The final Saturday of August sees
the side travel to champions Sidmouth and what
an opportunity for them. The home side are back
to back champions and have not been beaten all
season in their League campaign. What better
chance for this Bradninch team to show that they
are the real deal and next season can offer so
much at Kensham Park, especially if the
Fortfield Champions can be given a bloody nose
in their own back yard.
| 
