NO sooner it seems we were just starting the 2026 Community League Cricket program, and here I am writing about the last round of matches before finals day on Sunday, July 5.

The first match in round four was between two teams fighting to get into the final: the previously unbeaten Crediton Milling and the once-beaten Crediton Rugby Club.

The rugby club batted first and with retirements from Joe Saunders, Ollie Harris 27, Max from the Beer Engine 25, George Blackburn 26, and even Steve Saunders weighing in with 21, the odds were not looking good for the Millmen.

The deciding factor was that apart from those previously mentioned, the rest might as well have not turned up.

However what it did mean, was that Joe Saunders, having had to retire on 25, was allowed back in when the rest of the batting order fell apart, and in doing so he hammered the last few balls he faced to end up with a score of 43no.

This gave the rugby club an almost unsurmountable 192 for 7 at the end of their innings for the Millmen to try and overhaul.

Remarkably Ben Harris managed to burgle three wickets in two overs amongst the carnage, although ironically he was the one to suffer from Joe Saunders’s late onslaught. Stu Moss also managed two wickets at the beginning of the innings.

In reply, Barny Butterfield, opening the bowling, did his best to give the Mill a good start. Louie Gulley smashed him for 21 in his first over, including five consecutive fours.

Louie had to retire for a while on 28, as did Ben Harris with 27. Only Stu Moss batting in the later order managed to trouble the rugby club as he too had to retired on 28, thanks to John ‘Lasher’ Leyman trying to let the Mill back into the game in an over costing 24 runs.

At the end of the innings Louie remained undefeated on 41, having been allowed back in, but at 175 for seven the Mill finished just 17 runs short to lose their unbeaten run.

The next game between Sandford Football Club and Three Little Pigs was cancelled, as the football club were unable to raise a side allegedly, so the Pigs got the points.

The final game of round four saw the two bottom teams competing – Graphic and the Sandford Development XI.

Graphic looked well set for victory as their first four batters all had to retire after reaching 25. Andy Hookway 25, Skipper Sam Dyne 26, Dan Puddefoot 27 and Andy Sharp 25 all did well, but the rest of the order struggled against the Developments bowlers, especially Dan Harding who remarkably took 4-9 in his three overs, and in the end they only managed 165 for six from their 20 overs.

In reply Zak Blewett got the development innings off to a good start with a belligerent 25, which was then followed up by 14-year-old Buddy Singleton, also with 25, and Steve ‘Tipper’ Lyons with 24. Thirty-six wides and nine no-balls also helped, as the reaming Development batters all ‘chipped in’ and in the end they chased down their target to finish on 168 for five, with the winning runs coming off the first ball of the last over.

And so to finals day on Sunday, July 5 with the first game between Crediton Milling and Three Little Pigs getting underway at 11am – the winner will definitely going through to the final, and even the losers could make it depending upon how the rugby club get on in their game against Graphic which will follow at 1.15pm.

Sandford Football Club vs Sandford Development XI at 3.30pm will bring the round-robin games to a finale, and then the final will take place at 6pm. Times are approximate depending on length of games.

As always there will be a BBQ on the day from midday, and the eventual winners will receive the Barrie Sparham OBE Memorial Cup presented by Sue Sparham, his widow.

At this stage I would like to thank my wife Pam, and Sue Sparham for getting the pasties ready after each match, and a special thankyou to Morrisons for the pasties and a bit of discount, which has been much appreciated, by the players and the club alike.

Thanks also to all the umpires and scorers and here’s hoping for an excellent finals day as we have had over the past four years.

Phil Matten