Bradninch 1st XI versus Barnstaple & Pilton 1st XI
Saturday 14th June 2003 at Barnstaple

Winning the toss for the first time in five weeks, Bradninch elected to field on a hot, humid day presenting Barnstaple with the opportunity to post a target. Intent on attacking from the start, the openers put bat to ball and Bradninch proved up to the task as Chris Acton took a startling catch at wide mid-off, clasping a full blooded extra cover drive, sending the younger batsman back to the rather shabby and soon to be discarded pavilion.

Tight bowling at both ends from Paul Nott and Ross Acton completed a tidy first ten overs, with the score reaching 21 for 2 before Ross snapped up the second opener through a more routine Chris Acton catch at mid-wicket. Joel replaced Ross and soon claimed the number three, LBW and when the next batsman stepped back in front of his stumps first ball, a further breakthrough beckoned. However, not up to giving two of his home side out in succession, the Barnstaple umpire left the number four to suffer a painfully unorthodox innings supporting the lucky, consistently uppish driving of Horrell, who chanced his way to 51 invaluable runs.

At 80 for 3, the Barnstaple innings was established but with only 15 overs remaining the urgency told as the partnership was broken and Horrell quickly followed to another well taken catch by Chris on the deep, wide, long off boundary. A scatter of wickets and runs stuttered the innings to 125 for 9 before the last pair added 16 to finish on 141 with 2.5 overs left. (Paul Nott 4-19, Joel Murphy 3-28, Ross Acton 2-18 and R. Horrell 51).

Chasing a total of 142 to win, Bradninch needed a good start but with Horrell immediately in to the attack on a low, slow wicket and the old ball, it was not to be. Ironically the first wicket fell at the other end when Gary Newall, very adjacent to a shooter, almost walked LBW with the score on a respectable 15 after 4 overs.

Tim Piper, Joel Murphy and Ross Acton came and went as the runs dried up and Bradninch tried to take the game to the accurate Barnstaple bowlers. At 28 for 4 after 17 overs the innings had stalled under the physical and mental pressure exerted by a now very upbeat Barnstaple. Derrick Foan joined Chris and set about consolidating and creating a platform on which to rebuild, but a game plan of holding wickets together until the last 20 overs backfired, as the Barnstaple change bowlers maintained a persistent line and length, at a time when the ratio of runs per over started to increase beyond capability, on the infamous dusty pitch.

Approaching the last 15 overs with a run rate of 6 per over representing a steepening mountain to climb, Chris fell LBW as Horrell returned to administer the final grip and render the game lifeless. A couple more wickets fell as the score crept up to an inadequate but safe 75-7, with Bradninch holding out comfortably for a losing draw, ending their 100% record in a rather dour and disappointing fashion. (Chris Acton 18, R. Horrell 3-16 and A. Wright 2-29). Barnstaple 11 points, Bradninch 5.

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