Bradninch 1st XI versus Kingsbridge 1st XI
Saturday 7th June 2003 at Bradninch

A slightly damp but firm wicket encouraged the Kingsbridge Captain to field first and Bradninch set about building a match winning innings for the fourth consecutive week. Andy Nichols, deputising again in the absence of Captain and regular opener, Chris Acton, joined Gary Newall to face a lively Kingsbridge attack.

The young Richard Carr sacrificed line and length in attempting to bowl fast down the hill, while the evergreen Neil Peach probed accurately and made life difficult for the openers at the other end. A flurry of runs punctuated with an element of good fortune, as the fielding side failed to hold on to one or two half chances, gave Gary and the Bradninch innings the impetus needed to underpin a decent score on a challenging pitch.

With the score in the 30s, a snick to the wicket keeper adjudged Andy caught behind for 7 off Peach and Tim Piper came to the crease to carve out a 90 run partnership with Gary who took the game to the bowlers to move the score to 130 for 1, before falling to a boundary catch attempting a fourth six in a powerful display of hitting. A mini collapse followed with another two wickets falling for 2 runs, leaving Joel Murphy and Derrick Foan to restore order and take the total past 150. Wickets fell at 155 and in the 180s and 190s, but with Joel continuing where Gary left off the fifth batting point was gained and the innings came to an end on 202 for 7. (Gary Newall 87, Joel Murphy 39, Tim Piper 27 and T. Treeby 3-56).

Kingsbridge made a positive start and early boundaries maintained a good run rate as the opening batsmen threatened to carve a hole in the challenging target. An early bowling change paid dividends as Bradninch started to play to their reputation and Paul Nott made the breakthrough, benefiting from an athletic catch by the diving Gem Coetzee. Joel Murphy, frustrated by a trio of missed catches, stepped up a further gear and Gary Newall obliged with two edges cleanly taken at first slip.

Andy Nichols delivered his routine first over wicket thanks to a comfortably taken mid-off catch by Mark Perriot, but a period of mid-order stability took the score to 70 in good time. The pressure started to tell though as Bradninch starved the batsmen of runs and as another change of bowling brought Tim Piper in to the attack, Andy claimed three more wickets with a well judged catch at deep mid-on by Paul Nott followed by two from Nat Davey, the first spiralling to long off and the second more straightforward at mid-off.

Tim was soon in to his stride and when he clean bowled the number nine, Kingsbridge were left exposed with very little to play for, on 100 for 8 and 12 overs left to bat out. Proceeding with trademark efficiency, Joel returned to tidy up and complete another four-wicket haul ending any resistance at 105 all out. (Joel Murphy 4-27, Andy Nichols 4-22 and S. Inch 22). Bradninch 20 points, Kingsbridge 4.

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