Dej� vu was the order of the day for Ottery St Mary 2nd XI .

Dej� vu was the order of the day for Ottery St Mary 2nd XI as they tasted defeat in the final over of this exciting game, going down by two wickets against visiting Thorverton. Once again deficiencies in all three disciplines of the game proved decisive as the Otters failed to take advantage of a flying start when they batted, then dropped two vital catches. With the notable exception of the evergreen Keith Biggs, they failed to bowl with sufficient control to capitalise on a seemingly winning position.After losing the early wicket of young opener George Biggs (2), bowled by veteran seamer Mike Denford, the home side were given a great start by experienced pair John Tierney and Barry Flicker. Tierney, positively drooling at an unusually short boundary, got off the mark by clipping wayward paceman Simon Manning for six over mid wicket. And with Flicker deflecting the ball neatly, the score rattled along, passing 50 in the 12th over, although Denford was unfortunate to see Tierney dropped by his skipper Alan Burningham at mid off. The introduction of George Turnbull saw Tierney cut loose and he launched the left armer into the adjoining caravan park to bring up his 50 (4 x 6s, 4 x 4s) to take the total past 100 in the 18th over.But the visitors kept their heads up admirably and produced an excellent display of ground fielding.After Flicker (41) was caught by Ryan Doye off the excellent Denford, skipper Gavin Iley soon departed lbw to Jock Spry, for a duck, leaving the Otters at 136-3 after 27 overs. Lewis Townsend (8) clipped Ollie Chatterjee to the long leg boundary to bring up the 150, but fell lbw shortly afterwards. The rapid loss of Alex Clements (0), run out in a mix up, and Sam Loud (5), bowled by Chatterjee, saw them slip to 170-6 before powerful South African Manus Schoeman (15) struck some defiant blows. Schoeman departed, caught off Chatterjee, before a single into the covers brought up Tierney's ton from 95 balls in the 40th over. But the end was nigh for the Otters and, after Keith Biggs (3) fell lbw to Spry, Tierney's run out for 103, attempting a risky second run to deep extra cover, saw all hope of posting a par 230-240 total evaporate. Ottery, 206, committed the cardinal sin of failing to use three of their overs, an error which was later to prove crucial. Denford's 2-33 off 13 overs was a masterpiece of control, good support coming from Spry with 3-30.In reply the Thors were soon in trouble, courtesy of a fine display of outswing bowling from a fired up Keith Biggs. First the former Sandford paceman nailed Matt Millward lbw for six, then removed skipper Burningham (4) who was trapped in front playing around his front pad. But, when 13-year-old leg spinner Loud was surprisingly introduced to the attack, the hard-hitting Alan Tait took full advantage, plundering 14 from the youngster's first over. Despite Biggs claiming his third victim, Doye (8) edging behind to Clements to leave the score at 45-3, Thorverton were off and running. Tait continued to feast on a precession of 'cafeteria' bowling, taking particular toll of change bowlers Townsend and Johns. The Otters could ill afford the life given to Tait when Birch spilled a 'dolly' catch at midwicket as the amiable South African passed 50 from just 40 balls faced. However, when his partnership with Richard Lloyd (15) reached 63 in the 29th over, Townsend induced a top edged pull to remove the latter, well held by Johns at square leg. Chatterjee (9) launched the returning Keith Biggs into the long suffering caravan park before Schoeman snared him, George Biggs pouching a fine catch at cover from a fiercely-hit full toss. Townsend grassed a sharp chance at midwicket as Robert Money tucked into another Schoeman full bunger, but when the youngster then redeemed himself by running out Tait for an excellent 70, the visitors were wobbling at 139-7. However, the life given to Money, 43 no, and the extra overs conceded proved costly. The ninth wicket pair put on an unbroken partnership of 57. Manning, 16, smashed a full toss from Johns to conclude a splendid game with just three balls to spare. Keith Biggs was pick of the home bowlers, John Tierney Man of the Match.