Matt Gurr’s unbeaten century led Himbleton to a winning draw against Martley, securing maximum points in a thrilling encounter.
The match took place on Saturday afternoon at Himbleton’s home ground.
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The hosts set a formidable target, finishing their innings at 325 for six.
Martley managed to reach 260y for nine, ensuring Himbleton walked away with a full 18 points from the draw.
Gurr, batting at number five, scored an impressive 108 not out, anchoring the innings.
He received valuable support from Joe Corlett, who contributed 50 runs, while James Mann, Ali Pretty, and Jon Critchlow added 34, 26, and 25 runs respectively.
Stuart Dickenson’s explosive 15-ball innings of 38 in the final overs helped propel the total, with Gurr and Dickenson adding 70 runs in the last six overs.
In addition to his batting heroics, Gurr also shone with the ball, taking three wickets for 54 runs.
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His efforts nearly secured a victory for the home side as they pushed for a win in the closing stages of Martley’s innings.
The away side’s response began poorly, with Mann claiming a wicket with his first ball and Sam Jenkins conceding only 18 runs in his spell.
However, a resilient middle-order performance from Owen Birchley, who scored 42, Christian Mulvihill with 65, and Tom Vale, who top-scored with 79, kept Martley in contention.
The fall of Mulvihill and Vale, however, shifted momentum back to the hosts, with Critchlow’s two wickets for 38 runs proving crucial in stalling the away side’s progress.
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Despite the pressure, Martley’s lower order held firm, securing the draw in the final overs.
Reflecting on the match, Gurr said: “I was shuffled down the order today, but it gave me the chance to build my innings while the others played their shots.
“I thought we were a bit short of a decent total with five or six overs to go, but batting with Stuart at the end made sure we were competitive.”
Skipper John Greaves praised the contest, stating: “That was a decent game of cricket, with all results still possible with ten overs to go.
“Fair play to Martley for giving it a go throughout.
“Critchlow and Gurr helped bring the game back to us.”
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