Cricket- County Division Four (East)

Colan v Tideford

How this match came to be decided in the last over is one of the fascinations of trying to predict who is going to win a game of cricket. All seemed normal when Geach and Griffin put on 52 for the first wicket and, although Rundle was bowling well, a target in excess of 200 was quite feasible.

The difference this time round was the determination of every Colan player to ensure Tideford would have to work for every run/wicket. Wright was fiery and jammed a few fingers but lacked accuracy and was replaced after six overs by L Hawkey. Rundle did remarkably well to bowl 13 overs up the slope and against the wind during the hottest part of the day and was justly rewarded with three wickets.

A tight line by both Rundle and Hawkey was necessary with a 6:3 field which reduced the run rate to under four an over. At 107 for three in the 27th over, Hawkey and Killick (who had replaced Rundle) transformed the balance of the game by removing a further five batsmen for the addition of only eight runs. At 115 for eight, Tideford's middle order had collapsed for the first time this season. This allowed Mark Swain and Andy Lockett to dazzle their juniors with a display of audacious strokes and outrageous luck. Their innings were completed with an unbroken 59 stand that gave the team four batting points and the bowlers something to work with after tea.

Not content with influencing the outcome of the match with the ball, A Rundle joined M Rundle in an opening partnership lasting 24 overs and batted with great resolve to be a part of a 75-run stand. Although every bowler used restricted the batsmen in scoring, you could not see how the breakthrough would come. But it did, running towards the boundary with the ball falling over his shoulder, Geach dived and clutched onto one of the best out-field catches seen for many a year. Unfortunately, it didn't last as J Philips joined A Rundle and consolidated Colan's dominant position with a 50-run partnership.

At 160 for two with only 15 runs needed for victory, Colan looked odds-on certainties with nearly six overs to reach the required total. The turning point was the loss of Rundle as tension gripped the Colan batsmen. 11 needed off two overs became five needed off the last when J Wright pulled one over the top of mid-wicket for a much-relieved boundary. It was a bit of an anti-climax when Copp stumbled at the point of delivery and sent down one that missed the stumps, the batsmen and the fine leg fielder for four wides, the Colan players weren't complaining though.

Maybe the Tideford batsmen should have scored more runs, maybe Geach and Copp should have been brought back into the attack earlier, maybe the dropped catches would have made the difference.

On the day, Colan were the better side and deserved their sweet revenge.

Scores - Tideford 174-8 (W Geach 41; J Griffin 22; A Luiten 13; D Copp 14; A Lockett 29 n.o.; D Bradbeer 28 n.o.; Extras 19; J Wright 9-1-46-0; A Rundle 13-2-38-3; L Hawkey 15-4-50-2; D Killick 11-3-31-3). Colan 175-5 (M Rundle 33; A Rundle 82; J Philips 22; Extras 20; W Geach 12-2-33-2; D Copp 11.3-3-24-1; S Bradbeer 7-1-23-1; D Bradbeer 13-1-51-1; M Swain 6-0-33-0).

Colan (19 pts) beat Tideford (six) by five wickets.