Tipton cricketers beaten by a clinical display

Tipton St John CC welcomed Exeter Medics on their first visit on a glorious spring day.
The Medics batted first and despite losing an early wicket when Dave Alford bowled McCollum for 16, the skilful batting of the doctors and consultants were too much for the Tipton bowlers, and the score had reached 206 before another wicket fell.
Tipton were not helped by some rusty work in the field and the omens were not good when Phil Wright made a hash of getting under a skier from Amelia Tolley’s first ball and turned full circle before the ball landed at his feet!
This was batsman Fahd’s first of several lives offered, which allowed him to retire having scored 50. Both opener Lalu Antony and Vipul Mandalia similarly retired and the 2nd wicket did not fall until the 32nd over when Mark Channon bowled David Bartle for 18.
The recovery started when John Hounsell, making his first appearance since 2006, bowled Ugman for 7, and Tipton at last took a catch after collectively dropping eight difficult chances. This time John Buckland followed up his catch to dismiss Thomas with another to remove Vedag, both off Hounsell’s bowling.
Rob Stirling had Jibu Varghese caught by Hounsell at mid-wicket with the aid of some juggling. Ash Kotecha was bowled by Hounsell for 2 and the returning Lalu was run out by Buckland, having taken his score to 61.
Exeter Medics closed on a formidable 255-8 with Hounsell being the pick of the Tipton bowlers on 4-28.
With no teas possible to rejuvenate the weary Tipton fielders, they regularly lost wickets with only Phil Tolley able to remain and accumulate runs. David Thayre started brightly but edged a catch to keeper Bartle having scored 10, then John Buckland was unlucky when he played on via his foot for 9.
Al Matthews became the last player apart from Tolley to reach double figures when he was bowled by Vedag for 10 with skipper Dave Alford following for a duck.
The best partnership of the innings (44) was with Rob Stirling (7) as Tolley reached his half century, but when he was bowled having scored 75, the innings limped to 151-9 at the close.