CRICKET: Fantastic win for Ilminster 1sts

ILMINSTER 1sts can almost taste promotion – but they know that they still have a lot to do before they can start to celebrate despite yesterday’s (Saturday, August 16, 2014) superb win over title rivals Potterne in Premier Two of the West of England Premier League.

Sam Spurway’s side are now 12 points ahead of second-placed Clevedon with two games remaining.

Those two sit in the promotion places in the Premier Two with Potterne, who were the visitors to the Ilminster Recreation Ground yesterday, moving down to third and trail Ilminster by 16 points.

But Ilminster know that nothing is certain just yet with two difficult away games as they have to visit Clevedon this Saturday (August 23, 2014) coming in a 12.30pm start and then close the season at mid-table Thornbury Gloucestershire on August 30, 2014.

The game started yesterday with Potterne just one point behind Ilminster and so both teams knew that it was a massive fixture.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Ilminster's wicket-keeper skipper Sam Spurway with slip fielders James Thompson, left, and Matt Davis against Potterne.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Ilminster's Rayner Blitz in fielding action.

Spurway won the toss and elected to bowl and Potterne made a steady, but slow start where the openers were pinned down by some great bowling from Louis Kraucamp and Ian Masters.

Kraucamp finally made the breakthrough by bowling Luke De Souza for 18 with the score on 37.

It became 48-2 when Richard Elswood trapped opener James Hendrickson for 18. Potterne then rallied with Sahan Wijerathne and Edward Young.

But then James Thompson came to the fore for Ilminster as he took four wickets which saw Potterne go from 80-2 to 106-6.

Elswood claimed a second wicket and Kraucamp captured the run out of Ollie Smith for 19 as Potterne closed on 171-8 from their 50 overs.

Thompson was Ilminster’s best bowler on the day with 4-35, while Elswood took 2-42.

But the opening bowling pair of Kraucamp with 1-22 and Ian Masters with 0-22 certainly set the tone of the Potterne’s innings.

Ilminster’s success this season has been based around all-round team performances unlike last season where they were too reliant on Spurway and Kraucamp delivering the goods.

But cometh the hour and cometh the man and Kraucamp delivered one of his most important innings for the club with a resilient 90 not out which saw him carry his bat to victory.

Ilminster found themselves at 84-3 when Matt Davis departed for a duck, but Kraucamp was then joined in the middle by the experienced Rayner Blitz and they took the score to 161-4 before Blitz departed for 35.

It was then left to Kraucamp and Ian Masters to get Ilminster over the winning line in the penultimate over of a low-scoring, but entertaining match.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Ian Masters bowling for Ilminster on Saturday (August 16, 2014) against Potterne.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Louis Kraucamp bowling for Ilminster against Potterne on Saturday (August 16, 2014).

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