Semi Finals: Exeter v Whitchurch

Whitchurch 117 ao    (C.Barriball 71, L.Crocker 2-11, D.MacLaurin 2-25)

Exeter  110-9 (W.Marsh 22*, H Skinner 15, C Hodges 2-7, R Alford 2-20)

Whitchurch won by 7 runs

Bovey Tracey v Hatherleigh

Bovey Tracey  137-6

Hatherleigh  42 ao

Bovey Tracey won by 95 runs

FINAL   Bovey Tracey v Whitchurch

Whitchurch Wayfarers  148-4

Bovey Tracey  149-8

Bovey Tracey won by 2 wickets

The week running up to the scheduled Final saw some of the heaviest rain fall across our county - and indeed the whole of the country. Even on pre-match Saturday there were heavy showers, and both competing clubs and the organisers were looking at postponement and reserve dates and venues. There was, however, a half-decent weather forecast for Sunday 7th - so matters were left until the last possible minute.

Amazingly the wait was all worthwhile - but not without the speedy and generous intervention of Exmouth Cricket Club. For although a flooded Budleigh Salterton were unable to stage the Final, their near neighbours stepped into the breach and provided both teams an opportunity to showcase their talents for the excellent number of interested spectators.

Bovey won the toss and chose to field first and were rewarded in the 2nd over when Gabriel Ames bowled Barney Megicks with the score on 8. Ryan Alford joined his skipper Luke Cummins and they established an excellent partnership that grew in confidence from the first ball. The 15-over drinks break came and went with the score on 65-1 and at this stage the Whitchurch pair looked untroubled. Jack Thomas relinquished his 'keeping gloves and came on at the pavilion end with immediate success - bowling Alford for 21(71 for 2). Charlie Barriball came to the crease and in the next 6 overs he and Cummins ran well and stroked their side up to 107 - whereupon he too was bowled by Thomas for a brisk 29. With 7 overs to go and only 3 wickets down, Whitchurch had a licence to hit out. Although Luke Cummins fell in the 27th over for an excellent 38, Luke Northmoor and Christian Hodges pushed the score along and the Whitchurch innings closed on 148 for 4 in the 30th over.

There were murmurs in the Bovey camp of "Good score - a tall order to chase" and they too lost a wicket in the 2nd over when Josh Towl caught WIll Simmons off Northmoor with the score on 5. Two overs later Northmoor bowled Robert Maybin and Bovey were rocking on 11-2. Jack Thomas and his skipper, Jamie Bishop, steadied the ship however, and were also able to keep their score ahead of Whitchurch's on comparison. Bishop went for 15, bowled by Barriball in the 9th over, but the score was still moving on nicely at this stage. Enter Lance Ames who started quietly as Thomas was scoring fluently at the other end. At drinks Bovey were 74-3, 9 ahead of the "clock".

Disaster in the next over though as first Thomas went, caught by 'keeper Megicks off Hodges and then Ben Roberts was immediately runout. At 79-5 Bovey chins might have fallen as they still needed 70 off 13 overs! Ben Steer joined Ames who was now hitting out to considerable effect. They took the score up to 122 in the 24th over when Steer was bowled by Cummins a few balls after surviving a caught and bowled chance. Two overs later Barriball returned to the attack and cleaned out Ames for an excellent and spirited 38 - but the score was 135 and only 3 wickets remained. With 14 left to get, the spotlight was on the Bovey lower order and they kept their nerve. Although Dan Goodman was bowled by Hodges at 141 in the 27th over, George Absley and Tom Edgington stayed cool and calm. In the 29th over they secured the winning run and their side was home by 2 wickets.

This had been a superb contest played in an excellent spirit - and with the weather having improved steadily throughout the day, the latter stages and the presentations took place in the most glorious sunshine. It was a fitting end to a wonderful day, made possible by the hosts Exmouth CC and two very good and well matched sides. Tributes were also paid to the umpires Percy Govier and David Vallance by Peter Wright who presented the trophies on behalf of DCBYA.