| Description: | League leading Rockhampton Sunday XI came crashing back to earth after a very disappointing batting display at the boundary field. This was their 1st defeat of the season and will almost certainly mean they will have lost their position at the summit of the table.
In familiar fashion skipper Spence lost the toss and the Rams took to the field on a typical good looking pitch. The Thornbury openers looked good and despite some unusually good fielding from the Rams, there was no early breakthrough. Rawle missed a difficult caught and bowled chance and Spence put down a chance behind the stumps off Nicholls. Spence was forced to turn to spin and the combination of Barton and Turrell delivered with a wicket a piece. Turrell’s wicket was a fantastic leg break that pitched leg stump and clipped the top of off. Even the batman acknowledged the delivery as he walked off.
Denyer took up the attack and after a patchy 1st over he found his length and picked up 2 wickets. His first was a rank full toss that Kent did well to hold on to at mid on and his second an excellent catch down the legside by Spence.
Turrell came back on for a second spell and ran through the Thornbury middle order picking up 3 wickets in total. He was showing his full repertoire, including the flipper, slider, googly, doosra and full banger and the Thornbury batsmen had no answer.
With the Thornbury innings in terminal decline it was time for the main event. Thomas, who has been in retirement since his exploits as the mysterious Derek Duval at Old Down during the first game of the season, made his long awaited comeback. A large crowd was now in place, presumably word had got out that Thommo was playing, and he certainly didn’t disappoint. His 1 over brought back memories of Pankaj at Corsham or even the legendary spell of Bainbridge at Chipping Sodbury.
The combination of beamers, wides and no balls was too much for 1 unfortunate Thornbury batsman who top edged a full toss to Gill at mid wicket.
Fraser produced an excellent diving stop to force a run out as panic set in and Rawle returned to take the final wicket in farcical fashion as Fraser took the catch at point in unorthodox fashion.
208 to chase with a Douds tea ahead, everything looked Rosy for the Rams at half time. Unfortunately the tea was as good as it got.
Turrell and Gill opened the batting but by the 3rd over both were back in the pavilion. Turrell nicked to the keeper and Gill was trapped in front to one that he didn’t pick up. Fraser came in and looked good. He smashed the opening bowlers to all points of the ground in a typically aggressive start to his innings. Douds was well caught in the gully and Spence top edged to mid wicket after seeing off the opening bowlers. Kent got a good delivery 1st ball and was bowled. Barton due to come in next was otherwise engaged and Thomas strode confidently to the crease size 6 bat in hand. He then delivered 3 punishing blows for 4 making an accomplished 12. Denyer got off the mark with a boundary but then slapped one into the covers. Fraser eventually succumbed for a classy 35 leaving Barton with help from Nicholls and Rawle to take the score past 100. Barton was finally left 24 not out at the Rams collapsed to 112 all out.
The Rams would have looked to return to winning ways at home to Wickwar next week, but after being on the receiving end of Mackinnon’s lightning spell earlier in the season they have decided to drop out off the league. Understandable really. I wouldn’t be surprised if Thornbury dropped out after Thommo’s performance in this game.
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