An exciting game at the King’s Field saw nine-man Exwick run out narrow victors over the youngsters of Ottery St Mary’s third team, writes Kit Richards.

Great heart was taken from the early dismissals of both Exwick openers, Joe Button bowling visiting skipper Mark Priddle and the pacey Harry McNamara-Campbell finding the outside edge of Robin Richardson’s bat. Barry Flicker’s catch at third slip was an early contender for champagne moment as the veteran held on to the grab at the second attempt. When George Mutter bowled Geoff Stroulger (5), the Otter pups’ tails were well and truly up.

There then followed a monumental partnership between Todd Dove and Dan O’Connell for Exwick. They put on 110 together before Luke Tierney found a way through Dove’s defences to dismiss him for an entertaining 108.

It might have been a very different story had a localised gust of wind not carried a top edge over the incoming McNamara-Campbell early in his knock. This particular phenomenon only seems to afflict the young Ottery pace bowler and more than one team-mate could be overheard muttering about whence the breeze originated. McNamara-Campbell regained composure to polish off the Exwick tail, finishing with four wickets and condemning four of the visitors’ batsmen to ducks.

In reply Ottery were never able to post a substantial partnership as batsmen got in and got out. Flicker led the way with 38 at the top of the order, but he was the sixth man dismissed. The Otters’ hopes rose with a late partnership between young wicketkeeper Eddie Rudolph and leg spinner Ethan Glanville, but when Rudolph (28) fell to a catch at the wicket, the writing was on the wall. Glanville made a career-best 34 not out with a combination of sensible placement and adventurous striking, but ran out of partners with 22 still required.

Exwick 192 (T Dove 108, D O’Connell 40, H McNamara-Campbell 4-34, L Tierney 2-20) Ottery St Mary 3rd XI 170 (B Flicker 38, E Glanville 34*, E Rudolph 27, M Priddle 3-39). Exwick (19pts) bt Ottery St Mary (9pts) by 22 runs.

Otters Man of the Match - Ethan Glanville