DCL 1st XI C Division

Kingsbridge 128 all out, Clyst St George 116 all out. Kingsbridge (17pts) beat Clyst (6pts) by 11 runs

Kingsbridge escaped with a narrow win in what was a low-scoring, but enthralling, game of cricket away to Clyst St George.

Kings lost the toss and were asked to bat first. Despite losing James Fletcher early on, they started their innings brightly with James Westlake and Angus Watson both looking assured at the crease.

Just as the pair had brought up their 50 partnership, Watson was brilliantly caught for 14, which sparked a major middle to lower order collapse.

From being 72-1 in the 15th over, Kings plummeted to 89-8 in the 20th over, losing seven wickets for just 17 runs.

This included the wicket of Westlake, who top scored for the second week running with 32.

The collapse left Bhanu de Silva and James Rosewarne to try and add some respectability to the innings.

Together they amassed a solid partnership of 39 runs, which in the context of the match was crucial.

De Silva was the last man out for a useful 31 and Kings were dismissed for 128 in only the 27th over, with 19.3 overs still remaining.

With a quick turnaround due to the early resumption of the first innings, Kings knew they had to come out firing before tea was taken.

There was excellent intensity in the field from the start and the bowling matched this as the opening pair of Neal Peach (0-14 off nine overs) and Bhanu de Silva (2-4 off nine overs) limited Clyst to few scoring opportunities.

Kings made the all-important breakthrough in the sixth over through de Silva with the score on five.

The visitors had a stranglehold on the Clyst batsmen, further indicated by the run rate, which at one point was 0.9 an over after the first 15 overs.

In fact, 11 of the first 15 overs were maidens, with de Silva bowling seven in a row – very impressive. There was no respite with the bowling as Dan Hardy (2-36 off nine overs) and James Shepherd (2-29 off nine overs) continued the good work of Peach and de Silva in restricting the Clyst batsmen.

Shepherd deservedly made the next breakthrough in the 21st over just before tea was taken.

Tea came and went and with the score on 41-2 and Clyst were still favourites to win the match.

However, two quick wickets after tea from Hardy and Shepherd respectively put Kings in the ascendancy. A second wicket from Hardy left the score on 82-5, thanks to a low smart catch from 'keeper Matt Peach.

The re-introduction of de Silva into the attack brought about his second wicket and with a run out from Hardy in the same over, Clyst were left reeling on 84-7, still requiring 45 runs off 48 balls.

Clyst hit back and after needing 40 runs to win off 42 balls, they took this down to just 14 required off 18 balls and looked odds-on to win.

Enter the calm and collected James Rosewarne, who skittled the last three wickets of the innings in one match-winning over, much to the delight of his teammates. Rosewarne finished with impressive figures of 3-17 off five overs, backing up his display from last week.

It was an excellent effort from the bowlers to win the match, but Kings know they will have to improve in areas if they want to beat stronger teams in the league.

The club would like to thank Ilbert Road Filling Station for sponsoring the match ball.