THIS year’s final in the Sandford Community Cricket League will be between Crediton Rugby Club and The Three Little Pigs, who ironically are the only side not to have won the competition before. If they do win, they will be the eighth different winners in the eight years it has been in existence.

The final, which was due to be played tonight (Friday, August 9), has been postponed due to the weather forecast and will now take place on Wednesday, August 14 with a 6.15pm start at the home of Sandford Cricket Club - Creedy Park.

The Club bar will be open and a barbecue will also be in operation to feed any would-be supporters and players throughout the evening.

With who we would be playing in the final, going right down to the wire, with three teams fighting it out for the two final spots, it meant this year’s competition was one of the best ever.

The final game of the season saw the two finalists playing each other with everything to play for, especially for the Pigs as they had a worst run rate.

With both teams undefeated this season and both on seven points, it was the Pigs who triumphed by 21 runs after setting the Rugby Club a target of 135 to win.

However, the Rugby Club could only manage 113, despite both of their openers having to retire having reached the obligatory 25.

Good knocks from Jon James and Ben Wonnacott, as well as good scoring elsewhere ensured the Pigs set a tough total to beat. So it proved, with good bowling by Alex Stevens and Jon James, backed up by the irrepressible Jason Luff – the Rugby Club coach – runs were at a premium for the lower order.

One sad moment in the Rugby Club match was the apparent horrible injury to opening bowler Matt Cridge who appeared to rupture his anterior cruciate ligament whilst bowling his final over, having previously taken three of the Pigs batsmens early wickets.

Hopefully the injury is not as bad as it first appeared, as he was due to go on holiday a few days later, but obviously he had to leave the field and took no further part in the game.

It just goes to prove how in sport a “honed athlete” like Matt can suffer a career ending injury in innocuous circumstances. We wish him well.

With the Pigs winning, this was bad news for Sandford Football Club, who had won their last match the week before.

They had beaten the Crediton Inn after restricting the Inn to 120 in their 16 overs, and for one of their unsung heroes – Nathan “I talk a good game” Keast – smashing a quickfire 20 not out to see them to victory.

This victory also put them on seven points and so it was down to run-rate to see who would qualify. In the end their run rate was quite some way below the Rugby Club’ s and so they dipped out.

The other game that was due to be played to finish off their “round-robin” of games was the Parents and Colts v Graphic, but unfortunately this game fell foul to the weather.

Therefore the Parents and Colts finished bottom of the league again for the second year running, with Graphic finishing just above them, having won the competition last year.

Crediton Inn finished fourth in what could be their last season in the competition. They’ve struggled all season to get 11 players on the field, and a decision will be made within the next couple of weeks to ascertain whether they can carry on next year.

If they can’t the Cricket Club would be interested to hear from any team who might like to consider replacing them.

One stipulation is that it must be a team of mainly “non-cricketers”, with a few regulars, rather than a team of regular cricketers, to ensure the ethos of the competition is maintained. Contact 07970 157 557.

Sandford Cricket Club would like to thank all the teams who have taken part in this year’s competition, and the manner in which these games have been played.

The Club would also like to thank all of the Club members who have officiated as either umpires or scorers, and of course Nicky Radnor who cooked all the after match meals, as well as the bar staff.

Finally thanks once again to the competition’s sponsor Sue Sparham who has donated the Barrie Sparham OBE Memorial Trophy which she will present to the eventual winners.

Phil Matten