THOMAS, CARROLL
VALE SECONDS ..... 158-8 MONMOUTH SECONDS ................... 156
AS cricket matches go, they don’t get much more exciting than this two-run win for Vale Seconds over their Monmouth counterparts in Division Three in Corntown, writes Tony Poole.
And the table-topping Corntown boys made merry in the clubhouse afterwards, raising their glasses to Gethin Merry.
He bowled last man George Burnett for a duck off the third ball of the final over, leaving the Mon men high and dry on 156 in reply to 158-8.
Put in to bat, Vale received an early jolt when thinking man’s cricketer Paul Sheppard failed to trouble the scorers.
But Mark Francis then repaired the damage in stroking six fours in a 31run contribution, and star man Merry lent him a hand.
A Merry little knock of 37no contained six boundaries while captain Carl Brooks (24) took root at the wicket in the hope runs would come at the other end.
They did to an extent with Rhys Bradshaw clipping 18 (four boundaries), and they readily took tea with a score of 158-8.
Ben Pilot gave the Mon men lift off with 8-2-270 while big Ben Burnett clocked up 5-0-35-6.
Steady bowling from the Corntown quartet of Gregory Andrews (8-2-201), Bradshaw (8-3-20-1), Gareth Kelland (7-0-44-2) and Glyndwr Jones (8-121-2) then moved Vale into the box seat.
With the Mon men struggling on 80-6, it seemed like game over until Ben Pilot went on another plane in navigating 40 runs.
Vale captain Brooks added to the excitement, opting to make a game of it in bringing Sheppy into the firing line.
The senior professional duly fulfilled the brief in 3-0-29-1, and it was left to Gethin Merry (5.3-0-20-3) to see them home.
Merry crowned a fine display with the wicket of Harry King – and the coup de grace when he got Burnett in the last over.
Vale Seconds host Pontymister & Cross Keys on Saturday.