Devon Cricket Board - Ipplepen win Corry Cup in tense finish

Ipplepen win Corry Cup in tense finish

Winning captain Keith Wakeham with the victorious Ipplepen team - below, collecting the cup from league chairman Stuart Munday

IPPLEPEN kept their grip on the Corinthian Cup for another 12 months by squeezing out a two-run win over Uplyme in the final at Shaldon.
When the same two sides met 12 months ago at Plymstock in the final, Pens walloped Uplyme by 85 runs.
Second time round it was a different game completely with Uplyme looking like favourite s to win for a long time.
Keith Wakeham, Ipplepen’s winning captain, said the game turned on the dismissal of his opposite number Steve Batey as the run-chase was steaming along.
Pens had made 107 for nine and Uplyme were 76 for four in reply with more than five of their eight-ball overs to go when Batey got out.
“Jack Wylie took a remarkable catch on the boundary, leaping into the air to take the ball above his head and land inside the boundary rope,” said Wakeham.
“It probably would have been a six had it gone over and Batey – a good batsman – would have been on his way.
“Nick Fairbank bowled the next over for one run and a wicket, my next over was a wicket maiden and from coasting along they were back in nine-an-over territory with three wickets left.
“It was still a close finish, but that catch of Jack’s made all the difference.”
Pens went off at a cracking pace with 13 in the first over from Tom Dyer and Dave Harris – the lost two wickets in the second.
Jack Lewis (17) and top scorer Sam de Friend (27) added 44 for the third wicket in a partnership broken on 59 for three by man of the match Ollie Lee (4-26).
Wickets fell regularly from then on and little cameos from Ash Harvey (11) and tail-ender Steve Bowden (19no) proved vital to the outcome.
Uplyme will wonder what might have been had last pair Bowden and Wakeham not put on 27 unbroken in the final three overs?
Ipplepen openers Fairbank and Bowden (0-14) bowled tightly to restrict Uplyme to 29 for two in six overs.
Fairbank (3-16) took the crucial wicket of Aussie Richard O'Halloran (7) who has more than 600 league runs to his name this summer.
Slack bowling allowed Uplyme to recover to 76 for four in a three-over burst. Then came Batey’s departure.
Three wickets went for one run added and Pens were back in the game.
Uplyme had to keep hitting and got to the final over from Wakeham with 14 required and their last pair at the wicket.
Two boundaries clubbed off the first seven deliveries meant three were needed from the last ball.
Rhys Davies missed, Lewis took the bails off and Wakeham had four wickets for 26 runs.
Ipplepen 107-9 (S J de Friend 27, S J Bowden 19no, J Lewis 17; O J Lee 4-24, S M Batey 2-18), Uplyme & Lyme Regis 105 (M J Batey 18, A T Belworthy 15no; K Wakeham 4-26, N Faribank 3-16, A Harvey 2-20).

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