Between 1985 and 2003, Tipton had regularly played Old Monktonian’s from South Wales, who changed their name to Pentyrch.
Tipton managed just two wins in 23 encounters, and for old times’ sake, Tipton managed to lose this match when poised for victory needing two runs with two wickets left.
Pentyrch batted first and at 83-1 with Joe Birch getting the early wicket, looked to be posting a big score. However, Tipton took five wickets for eight runs to peg them back with John Buckland getting two wickets and Mark Channon three, aided by some good catches including two by Joe Birch.
A recovery took the score to 119 when Matt Davies and Phil Wright took two wickets each. Davies bowled his victims, but Wright was grateful for yet two more catches by Birch on the mid-off boundary as the visitors were dismissed for 143. Wright’s 61 wickets for the season equals the club record set by David O’Higgins, who we lost recently.
Tipton had a good batting line up and started well with Phil Tolley and Matt Davies. Although Davies was bowled having made 20, Tipton were handily placed at 74-1 but they also suffered a collapse, losing four wickets for 14 runs.
Dave Thayre was caught behind for 14 and John Buckland bowled for a single, before the important wicket of Tolley was lost, run out for 38. He was quickly followed by Joe Birch, bowled for a duck.
Al Matthews and Dave Jessop took the score to 104 when Jessop received a brute of a ball from Aiden Rutherford, which came off his glove and spiralled to slip. Dave Alford was tempted by a flighted ball and was stumped for two, which brought in Mark Channon.
When Matthews went for 15 off 32 balls, Channon decided to attack and hit three boundaries, taking Tipton to within two for victory. David Birch had played a good supporting role, but was caught off his first aggressive stroke, having survived 17 balls in scoring one.
Last man Phil Wright needed to survive one ball of the penultimate over to give Channon the strike, but overbalanced in trying to clip a legside full toss and was smartly stumped so Tipton lost by one run.
Tipton’s final game of the season is on Sunday against Heads & Tails.
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