NORTH Devon were crowned Devon Twenty20 champions on Sunday when they beat Plympton by five wickets in the county finals day at Torquay.
Four semi-finalists, who qualified by winning regional play-offs, went to Torquay on Sunday morning to play off for the county final. North Devon got there by defeating Lewdown in their qualifier.
North Devon, cheered on by a coach-load of supporters who made an early start from Instow to reach Torquay, dispatched Bovey Tracey by 16 runs in the morning semi-final.
Highlight of the game was Rob Gear's 85 not out off 44 balls for North Devon, which included five sixes and six fours.
Bovey Tracey's Arren deYoung - three sixes and four fours - crashed 31 in just nine balls during the unsuccessful chase.
Plympton got through thanks to a five-wicket win over Sidmouth, who were clearly suffering the after affects of the previous evening's partying to celebrate winning the Devon Premier Division title.
Both semi-finals were cut down to 15 overs from 20 to make up for time lost while the ground was being mopped up following overnight rain.
Plympton batted first in the final and posted a respectable 153 for seven. Wasim Mohammed top scored with 44 and shared in a stand of 58 with Lewis Gregory for the fourth wicket.
Pick of the North Devon bowlers were skipper Matt Westaway (2-31) and spinner Rob Gear (2-23).
North Devon's struggled to keep up with the eight-an-over asking rate at times and with four overs to go needed 39 to win.
Aussie run getter Stuart Rhodes was still there though and found a willing partner in Westaway for one last assault on the Plympton bowling.
The key over was the 17th when Plympton captain Keith Donohue was hit for 16 runs. Westaway smashed two sixes and that was the turning point in the game.
North Devon got down to the final over needing seven to win. Westaway (pictured receiving the trophy) took two then smashed Alex Trevarthen for six to clinch the game.
Rhodes finished unbeaten on 61 not out, but the telling innings was the unbeaten 34 from 14 balls by Westaway, which included four sixes, that got North Devon back in the frame.
RESULTS
Semi-finals
Sidmouth 158-4 (J Bess 77), Plympton 159-4 (W Mohammed 44). Plympton 159-4. Plympton bt Sidmouth by 6 wickets.
North Devon 150-3 (R Gear 85no, S Rhodes 33no), Bovey Tracey 134-6 (P Bradley 28, A Kingdon 23, A de Young 31; J Hayes 3-24). North Devon bt Bovey Tracey by 16 runs.
Final
Plympton 153-7 (L Gregory 39, W Mohammed 44, J Carr 15; M Westaway 2-31, R Gear 2-23), North Devon 155-5 (M Bettis 19, S Rhodes 61no, M Westway 34no; K Prescott 2-22, K Donohue 2-17). North Devon bt Plympton by 5 wkts.
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