IVYBRIDGE snatched a wicket – and a tie to go with it - from the final ball of their A Division game at Thorverton.

Relegation worriers Thorverton had drawn level with the Bridge with one ball to go when Ben Slaviero dispatched Dinesh Raheja for four.

Slaviero was stumped by the last ball of the over and the match going for the hit that would have given his side their first win in four games.

Raheja, back with the Bridge this season after a stint with Cullompton showed his worth to the team with a top score of 71 not out in their tally of 186 for nine.

Ivybridge were a worrying 78 for six at the end of their 32nd over, but Raheja and Arthur Johnson turned things round with a stand of 101. Johnson was out with nine balls to go for 42.

Slaviero pocketed two wickets in the penultimate over for match stats of three for 40.

Thorverton were hardly in great shape at 70 for four in reply with openers Dan Robbins just out for 44. Johnson had two of the wickets to fall.

The chase was revived by Harry Choules (47) followed by George Daldorph (32) and Bobby Heard (26).

Thorverton lost three wickets getting from 166 to 172 – Heard the first of them. Raheja was entrusted with the final over – he hadn’t bowled at all up til then in the innings – and came up with the goods.

The tie is an unusual result in limited-overs cricket, one that can tax captains in their post-match assessments.

Adam Huxtable, the Ivybridge skipper, said: “Overall, I'd say we are the happier of the teams with the result.

“Thorverton bowled really well and put a lot of pressure on us in the first 20 overs. Dinesh and Arthur batted brilliantly.

“We bowled very well and done exactly what we have been doing all season. Lewis Clarke bowled brilliantly for us and was very unlucky not to take a wicket.”