Kilmington won a thrilling contest with Tiverton by the narrowest of margins – a single run!

Recently married Dave Cook top scored with 54 and Tom Gooding hit 51 as Kilmington were bowled out for 208.

That looked to be nothing like good enough to win the game with the Tiverton reply just 60 short of the winning line with 15 overs remaining and nine wicket to play with!

However, Kilmington refused to lie down and leg-spinner Brett Garner made the key initial breakthrough and then removed another batter. Josh Short delivered consistent god line and length to bag four wickets for 47 runs, and Tiverton edged ever closer to victory. With three overs to go they required 15 runs with three wickets left, that was down to seven needed off the last two overs with two wickets in hand and finally the last over of the contest arrived with Tivvy requiring three to win and having two wickets in hand. Kilmington skipper Ralph Cook gave Craig Seward the last over duties and he saw a single taken of his first delivery, then sent down four successive dot balls. That left Tivvy needing one to tie and two to win off the final ball which was cracked straight to Brett Garner at mid-on and Kilmington had won a thriller!

Skipper Cook said: “It was a game to remember, that’s for sure. At no stage had we given up, but it’s fakir to say we had reached the point where we simply expected them to knock off the runs. But then they began to lose the plot with some expansive hitting, we picked up wickets at crucial times and so it came to that final over drama with Craig (Seward) holding his nerve to ensure we won the game. It was a pleasure to play in that one!”

On Saturday Kilmington - who share second place in the table with Cullompton – entertain Chardstock.