Coaver Gerries Cricket Club

Gerries versus Pinhoe at Killerton on 23 July 2025

20/20 CRS 30

Pinhoe 175/6  Gerries 119/6 – Pinhoe won by 56 runs

Killerton is one of the prettiest grounds we visit and while the pitch is not the best, the location in the heart of Devon countryside makes up for that. It was a lovely sunny evening and we were graced by Gerries royalty in the form of Ian and Shirley Turner, the Blackmores and the Giles family.  It was good to see them all there and their support was very welcome. 

The occasion was also noteworthy as the Gerries were captained for the very first time in a long and illustrious career by Ian Clewlow.

Ian lost the toss and Pinhoe unsurprisingly decided to bat.  The Pinhoe side were bolstered by the presence of a gentleman of Indian heritage by the name of Yogi. The suspicion was tha this was an alias and he had been given the evening off by the Indian test team. He opened the innings and faced just 6 balls, retiring halfway through the third over with 34 not out (5 sixes and a solitary 4) and the Pinhoe total 41.  After 2 balls of his brief but brutal innings, Phil whispered to Guesty that his arc of hitting was between straight and long on to which Guesty replied that it did not matter where we put fielders as the ball was so far over their heads anyway. Thereafter Yogi proved Phil wrong as to his limitations by crashing the ball through the covers for his solitary four when Gordon pitched on the off side.

After Yogi departed, normal service was to some extent restored but with the short boundaries at Killerton, it was difficult to stem the runs despite a determined recovery job by the bowlers and a very creditable skippering job from our novice captain. Three other Pinhoe batsmen reached the crs of 30  and they closed on a challenging total of 175-6. Best bowling from James 1-14 in 4 overs and Kyson (despite his injured shoulder) finishing with 2-31 in his 3 overs.  There were catches for Guesty (a sharp one behind the stumps), the Earl and Daniel.

This was a challenging total and we needed a good start. We did not get one losing three early wickets. Guesty provided stubborn resistance before he departed in the seventh over with the score 46 and his share of that 26.  Even by this stage, a match winning comeback was very unlikely but Skins and Kyson came together in a face-saving partnership, only ending when Skins reached the crs of 30 with a six – a really good effort from him with some nice shots.  

Kyson was joined by Daniel who cast aside his tour batting disappointments with a bright and breezy innings of 17 including one six and one four before he was trapped lbw. However, at no point did we look likely to win the game and we ended on 119 -6, well short of the Pinhoe total with Kyson unbeaten on a very solid 23.

It was a disappointing and rather heavy defeat but the team stuck to its task to the end, there were some encouraging performances and the side was well captained by Ian. 

The bitter taste of defeat was tempered by the lovely tea afterwards that was provided by our hosts on the occasion of the birthday of one of their players. 

The cake was outstanding even if our cricket was not quite of the same standard!!!  Onwards to the match against Selly Oak!

PM

ED: Deadly has the bag!!