CRICKET: Ilminster book spot in County Ground final

ILMINSTER Cricket Club was celebrating at the weekend when they booked their place in the final of the Somerset Cricket Board’s Major Cup Final in the most dramatic of fashion.

Sam Spurway’s side travelled to Bridgwater for their semi-final clash on Sunday (July 24, 2016) and the outcome went down to the very last ball of the T20 match.

Bridgwater won the toss and elected to field and Ilminster amassed 128-7 from their 20 overs with nobody really taking charge with the bat although openers Charlie Vickery and Sam Spurway hit 26 and 21 respectively, while Craig Rice added 23 further down the batting line-up.

The reply saw Bridgwater creep ever closer towards the winning post with number three Tom Lace hitting boundaries and big sixes.

But the action came down to the last over and with young Sam Grinter bowling for Ilminster the pressure must have been immense, but he held firm and restricted the Bridgwater team to close on 127-3 from their 20 overs – meaning Spurway’s side had won by just one won.

Ilminster club chairman Paul Knight, speaking on social media, said: “This was a real team effort, but special mention to Sam Grinter who had the hard task of bowling the last over.”

The final will be played on Sunday, August 14, 2016, at the County Ground in Taunton.

Ilminster team v Bridgwater: Sam Spurway, Charlie Vickery, Louis Kraucamp, Matt Davis, Josh Lee, Chris May, Craig Rice, Will Spurway, George Hayward, James Thompson and Sam Grinter.

The cup result perfectly complimented an excellent victory for Ilminster on Saturday (July 23, 2016) in the Premier Two of the West of England League where they beat Shapwick and Polden CC by 80 runs.

Ilminster batted first and amassed 311-4 from their 50 overs with Louis Kraucamp hitting a superb 113 from 99 balls which included 13 boundaries and six sixes.

Skipper Sam Spurway chipped in with 35, while Charlie Vickery added 70 and Matt Davis hit an undefeated 47.

Shapwick and Polden were restricted to 231-9 from their 50 overs with Kraucamp claiming 4-35, Charlie Vickery 3-34 and Sam Grinter 2-33.

It was their fifth league win of the season and keeps them away from the relegation zone, but with six games still to go they know that a few more wins will be needed to go safe.

Ilminster team v Shapwick and Polden: George Hayward, Sam Spurway, Charlie Vickery, Louis Kraucamp, Matt Davis, Josh Lee, Jon Hurford, Chris May, James Thompson, Harry Montacute and Sam Grinter.

Tags:
Sport.