South Brent 81 all out,

Modbury 73 all out

On a damp murky day at Palstone Park, South Brent won the toss and elected to bat.

On a damp, green-top pitch, Brent openers Lannin and Cooper were in difficulty right away as Rom­ney took a wicket for Modbury in the second over as Cooper was clean bowled, with the pitch offering plenty of assistance to the bowlers.

Lewis entered and, after hitting 150 not out in last season's fixture against Modbury, déjà vu was apparent as he hit Watkins for two boundaries immediately.

However, Modbury's opening bowlers Rom­ney and Watkins used the conditions well, with both swing and seam. Lannin was trap­ped lbw to Watkins' swinging ball for nought.

In the next over, Mod­bury got the dangerman Lewis (17) when Duncan bowled him. Modbury's relief was evident.

Malpass (5) came to the crease looking in good touch until he too was bowled by the seaming ball of Romney to leave Brent reeling at 25-3.

Wickets continued to tumble in challenging batting conditions as Carnell (2) was clean bowled by Romney.

Saunter (6) entered the fray with runs hard to come by, and he also perished, bowled by a good ball from Wat­kins.

Young S Prosser came to the crease. He played the challenging conditions well, dispatching anything on leg.

But he also heard the dreaded death rattle of wickets falling as he was bowled by Duncan (22-2) for eight.

On 49-7 in only the 13th over things were looking dire for Brent.

In-form batsmen Cook (14) and Daniels (14) stopped the rot, though, as they put on a 28-run stand.

Both kept the runs flowing, playing watchfully and dispatching the bad ball. Daniels eventually fell bowled by Thorn (6-2), and soon after Cooks defiant display ended as he un­luckily smacked a ball straight to cover point.

Willoughby (0) went bowled by Watkins (28-3) soon after and Glen was left not out on one.

Brent had scraped to 81 all out in just 21 overs.

The score, however, was not as bad as seemed given the conditions.

Brent took to the field in their newly arrived team shirts and felt confident that they could conjure up a victory with tight bowling and focused fielding.

The stage was set for a remarkable spell of bowling.

In his first home game of the season, the evergreen Willoughby opened with Cook.

Willoughby was confident after demolishing Buckfastleigh in the midweek game.

In his first over he struck immediately, trapping Smith (3) lbw with his medium pace seam. The very next ball he struck again, clean bowling Vaughan (0). Willoughby was on a hat-trick as the field crowded round.

The bowler strode in with menace and speared a full ball in to Hodgant, who played around it and was struck on the pads in front.

The entire field erupted in a huge appeal and up went the finger of doom to confirm the hat-trick as Willoughby was mobbed by his team mates.

Modbury were pole­axed on 3-3 and belief filled Brent hearts. Cook and Willoughby carried on bowling in tandem to the conditions, creating chan­ces regularly.

Cook (27-2) bowled Dun­can (3) then trap­ped Rom­ney (3) lbw with his in­swing.

Willougby (23-4) was greedy for more as his bowling partner Cook snaffled a good diving catch at point to dismiss Lowry for a duck.

At 33-6 Modbury were in deep trouble. The intensity and pressure of the Brent fielders was palpable, chasing everything down and allowing no easy runs. S Prosser in particular was especially athletic and committed in stopping boundaries.

However, Modbury's Watkins was up for the fight and he gleefully belted anything short, square of the wicket to turn the tide.

With the determined Garry the pair put on a 37-run partnership to take Modbury to 70 and within 12 runs of an unlikely victory.

Bad luck and perhaps a touch of complacency had crept into Brent's play.

Brent skipper Glen was determined to win, though, bringing himself on with four wickets still to get.

Glen's livelier pace did the trick as he blasted through the plucky Wat­kins' (27) stumps.

In the next over he got Garry (12) caught at slip, then splattered Billy's stumps as he ripped through the tail in a devastating spell of 6-3.

The force was back with Brent and the kill was there for Daniels bowling at the other end. Modbury still needed nine runs with nine wickets down.

Daniels (4-1) produced the magic, getting Harvey to swing wildly as the ball skied high.

The call of 'mine' came from wicketkeeper Carnell as he coolly bagged the catch and Brent mobbed him.

It was a rollercoaster of a game. Once again Brent showed wonderful team spirit and self belief. Rob Willoughby was man of the match.

Brent were proud to be sponsored by Gildersleve Antiques for this game. Thanks to Peter Brown and Chris Kelsey for umpiring and Richard Haines for scoring.