After a thoroughly disappointing season with many games cancelled due to weather and opponents struggling to raise a full side, Stoke were very grateful to Kingsbridge for offering to bring the curtain down on the summer with an extra fixture.

Home skipper Ed Church won the toss for Stoke and decided to bat on a very damp Venn Lane wicket.

John Hardy and Steve Edmonds started in trademark fashion, taking quick singles and immediately going at five an over.

However, in the 11th over Edmonds took a suicidal single and was run out by a direct hit from Rosewarne. In the same over Hardy skied one and was well caught behind by Luke Phillips off the bowling of Tim Bissett.

With Mark Edmonds picking up another wicket soon after, 55 for three after 14 was looking less comfortable for Stoke. Church and Paul Pope started to steady the ship, until Pope was caught by Clarke. This bought Kingsbridge regular Matty Hammett to the crease (guesting for Stoke!) and soon he and Church started to dominate the bowling.

In 14 overs the pair put on 86, taking the score up to 164 before Hammett was caught behind off the bowling of Olly Robinson for 48.

With the aid of the tail Church kept up the momentum and was eventually bowled off the penultimate ball of the innings for 71, and Stoke finished with a respectable 205.

The Kingsbridge reply started in identical fashion to Stoke’s, as Mark Edmonds and Ben Taylor put on 50 in 11 overs, before Edmonds became the first of John Hardy’s victims, caught and bowled.

James Westlake (22) and Rosewarne (39), both shared decent partnerships with Taylor, but wickets fell regularly.

Taylor was eventually caught by Paul Pope off the bowling of Steve Edmonds for 41, and soon after Kingsbridge were six down.

Dangerman Clive Clarke was still at the crease though, but when he was bowled by Pope for 15, the writing was on the wall. John Hardy came back to get two more wickets as Kingsbridge were all out for 187.