Once again Tipton’s team had been well and truly shuffled after Sunday’s game at Blagdon Hill with only three survivors, just a pair of Thayre’s and an Ace in the form of John Buckland. Perhaps ‘Tipton Jokers’ would be a more apt name at the moment.

Sunset were unlucky to find that Tipton’s early batters were looking for an early departure to watch England in the World Cup. John Buckland and George Prismall shared a partnership of 25 without the latter facing a ball, Buckland retired scoring his allotted quarter century off just 10 balls including 5 boundaries, although he was dropped at mid-off when on 14. The partnership twix Prismall and Dan Groves reached 44 when Prismall retired with 26 off 18 balls. These runs took account that wides and no-balls were penalised with 2 runs, but no extra ball.

A ‘proper’ innings was played by Dan Groves with singles aplenty. The first wicket to fall was Kevin (no longer Keedy) McMeeking dressed in his sparkling new Tipton playing shirt. He grafted 6 off 14 balls before he was bowled by the evergreen Bernie Wilson. The introduction of Wilson to the bowling attack had reduced the scoring rate, but he was fortunate to have completed his spell before Lewis Davies arrived. At this stage, Groves reached 25 from 38 balls, his final 11 coming in singles.

Lewis Davies does not understand what a single is as he smashed 3x6’s in a 26 that matched Buck’s 10 balls. The brothers Davies shared a brief partnership of 17. Shortly after, Nigel was stumped by Kris Greaves off Steve Pearce for 7 off 6 balls.
It was probably not wise for Aryan Yadav to wear the Keedy shirt as he lasted just two balls before he was caught at mid-wicket by Jack Purchell off Ryan Misha for a single. Misha then trapped Dave Thayre LBW for 9 off 6 bringing Robert Stirling in to partner Sam Thayre for the final over. Five had been added and with one ball left, then Thayre Jnr decided he was going to run whatever and poor Rob was run out by half of the pitch as Tipton closed on 152-5.

Sunset’s reply began with Steve Halkyard partnering Ryan Misha, facing Owen Smith and Rob Stirling. Only a single came from the bat in the opening two overs, mainly as the bowling was wayward costing 8 in wides. Misha was so surprised to receive a ball from Smith on his stumps in the 3rd over that he failed to hit it and was bowled for a duck. Trevor Culpin joined Halkyard and the pair put on 49 for the 2nd wicket. At this stage Halkyard retired, his 25 coming from 35 balls.
Derek Sivyar was run out going for a second run by a good throw by George Prismall, and then at the same score of 61, too much running by Culpin forced him to limp back to the pavilion having made 17 from 40 balls. As the innings came to a close, more wickets fell. Firstly, Kris Greaves was adjudged LBW to a ball from Dan Groves for a single, then a good running catch in the deep by Lewis Davies off Dave Thayre accounted for Cam Price for a duck.
Having bagged a wicket, taking him to 41 victims for Tipton, skipper Thayre gave John Buckland the final over who obliged by bowling Steve Pearce who had made 13 from 12 balls. With Jack Purchall remaining 7 not out at the end Sunset closed on 92-5 with 4 bowlers bagging a wicket each.

Statto corner:
• This was the 25th meeting with Sunset since 2013. 12 wins each and one tie.
• Kev McMeekin’s six runs takes him to 1514, thereby overtaking one of Tipton’s early captains Richard Tremeer into 26th place in the batting ‘hall of fame’
• Both Bucks and Lewis retired having reached 25 in 10 balls. This is 3 less than the record of 7 shared by Joe Birch at Lympstone in 2017 and Bucks against Sunset in 2022. Harry Everett also made it in 10 at Tedburn in 2024.
• Bucks with 198 and skipper with 296 are both getting close to milestone appearances

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Tipton St John Cricket Club

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