SANDFORD Cricket Club Thirds unfortunately lost their position at the top of G Division Central last Saturday, as they lost for the second time this season to Hatherleigh Thirds.

Having asked Hatherleigh to bat first, and having reached 97 for 2, this decision may not have seemed a good one.

Enter 13 year old Will Matten to the bowling attack. Along with Jemima Vereker, they destroyed Hatherleigh’s middle order, and 97 for 2 soon became 138 for 8.

Will – yes he is my Grandson – ended with incredible figures of 4-14 (5) and Jemima 2-27 (8).

With Ben Clements eeking out the tail 2-23 (6.1) and James Morgan 2-29 (6) getting the two early wickets, Hatherleigh in the end mustered 159 all out in 37.1 overs.

A total that should have been well within the Thirds capabilities.

However, despite a good start of 41 for the first wicket between Elliott Butterfield 25 (2 fours, 2 sixes) and skipper Alex Stevens 26 (four fours, 1 six), unfortunately once Elliott, who has been scoring runs for fun in the Thirds, left the crease, no one else apart from Will Street 28 (4 fours) played a responsible enough innings to guide their team to victory.

An all out total of 120 in 28.4 overs left a lot to be desired, and certainly exposed the frailties of the Thirds batting when they don’t have a full side.

With North Molton thrashing bottom club Exwick, they now return to pole position with only this Saturday’s game to come.

Sandford are at home to local rivals Shobrooke Park Seconds with a 1pm start, whilst North Molton travel to Torquay and Kingskerswell Thirds with Sandford hoping T and K can pull off a surprising win, assuming of course the Thirds also win – nothing being taken for granted I hasten to add.

Phil Matten