VX3 T20 CUP REPORT
After the false start last week due to some football (“unbelievable”), the club played its first match in the new cup competition away to Barton CC 1st XI – one man and his dog watching compared to the first two seasons of the original version of the competition back in the mid-2000s. Evo would like to say the club put out its 1st XI or at least the bulk of it, but that would be stretching it rather – with only one truly established 1st teamer in the XI, in comparison to Barton who fielded seven of their 1st XI. It certainly left Evo questioning why he bothered to put the club first over his own wellbeing (also see later).
Under the leadership of Ben Pomare, TKCC won the toss and elected to field. Evo’s low mood soon spiralled down even further when he found out that the home club weren’t providing a colleague for him - he was seriously thinking about just going home! Barton’s innings was built around their overseas player, Muhammad Basit with 51 before he was brilliantly run out by Fin Pinder. However, for an awful moment there was a case of “is there a doctor in house” as the run out nearly took Ethan Kulkarni out – fortunately, dad Vivek AKA Dr Viv was playing! The forementioned Dr, was the most economical TKCC with 1 for 23, while the most successful was Luke Glasson with 2 for 24. Barton finished on 150 for 5 in their 20 overs which included what would turn out to prove very costly , 19 wides.
To start TKCCs reply was like a run-away train thanks to Dan Western with a run a ball 21 and Ben Pomare with 55 off just 32 balls, Before the latter was out bowled around his legs, a local car owner will have to visit a panel beater thanks to a massive six out the ground. Until Pomare was out TKCC seemed on course for a win but Bobby Western batting at no 3 and Vivek Kulkarni at no 4, the lack of depth in the batting was exposed and TKCC fell 8 runs short having also lost 5 wickets – the Barton bowlers crucially had only given away just 7 wides. Nick Watkin formerly of this parish was miserly with 0 for 13 off his 4 overs including the only maiden of the match. In terms of success, young Thomas Cox, fresh from his debut for Devon U15s, was the best of the Barton bowlers with 2 for 10.
Post match there was an etiquette breach to be reported – not one TKCC player graced the bar afterwards with Evo having to hold the fort and save face. Irrespective of the opposition, etiquette should always win out.
Next Thursday the “T20 XI” travel to the edge of the Moors to take on Bovey Tracey CC 1st XI.