STEVE BIRLEY REPORTING
WALL-to-wall sunshine greeted the teams playing week three of the North Devon Cricket League and only one game failed to start.
That was the Division One match at Bideford where Ilfracombe failed to show having advised their hosts they could not raise a side for such an early season game.
Ilfracombe skipper Dave Hart explained saying: “I can only apologise for this. It was a real mix up. We simply couldn't field an eleven on the Saturday what with the number of football players we have in the club. The irony is we could have fielded two sides the following day!”
It's ridiculous to talk of a week-three result as being pivotal, but the big game at North Molton saw the champions start the defence of their title with a two-wicket win over Sandford.
In recent years two defeats has been the maximum a title-chasing side can afford. The Creedy Park men, with two wins from two prior to Sunday's game, can ill afford another slip up and it makes for an interesting game now on Monday, May 7 when they travel to Instow to meet the third of the Big Three in the league's top tier, North Devon.
North Molton made a champion start to their North Devon Cricket League title defence with a two-wicket win over visiting Sandford on Sunday.
The Mid-Devon side arrived with two wins from two and batted first to total 228-9. Richard Foan (53) and skipper Paul Smith (49) were the main contributors. Matthew Hammond bagged the first wicket of the new league season for North Molton, but it was Rob Ayre (3-30) and James Tapp (3-62) who claimed the wicket-taking honours.
In the reply Mike Green hit a solid half-century, skipper Tom Wright chipped in with 37 and it was left to Will Sherring to take his side to the victory.
With four runs needed to win, and half-centurion Green back in the pavilion, Sherring had a ‘look' at his first delivery from opposite number Smith then spanked the next delivery for six to bring up the win.
Shane Evenden, Simon Ashplant and Richard Foan each bagged two wickets for Sandford.
Molton skipper Tom Wright said: “It's the perfect start to our campaign. They don't come much tougher than Sandford and so to get one over on them so early is a massive advantage.
“We are well aware that in this division you need to hit the ground running from the first game and that's just what we have delivered.”
Richard Foan put aside his disappointment at being overlooked by the county selectors for the one-day side - the powers that be see him more of an integral part of the three-day version - hitting successive half-centuries in two Division One games at the weekend.
Foan led Sandford to a superb win at Barnstaple & Pilton on Saturday, the Creedy Park men's second successive win in the North Devon League First Division.
Hosts Barum batted first and were restricted to 228-9, Brady Saunders hit a superb unbeaten 70 and Rodney Bowden chipped in with 52, whilst Rob Holme got 22 whilst for the visitors there were two wickets for Matt Theedom, Pete Steele, Richard Foan and teenager Simon Ashplant.
Then Foan cracked 87, and Adrian Small struck 59, to set the foundation of the win. The line was crossed with Nigel Ashplant (31no) and ex-Barnstaple player Asa Wright (6no) at the crease.
Henry McEndoo did give home supporters something top cheer. The young spinner sent back the first four Sandford batsmen, returning figures of 4-59.
The following day Foan was again the inspiration with the bat, but his half-century for the cause was in vain as Sandford slipped to defeat at the hands of champions North Molton.
North Devon proved that they mean business with a second successive win. The champions of two years ago want to take North Molton's crown from them but they were given a terrific battle by visiting Newton Tracey before winning by four wickets with a boundary from Ross Burbidge off the final ball of the contest!
Rob Gear (48) and brother Simon (36), together with John Whormsley (47), underpinned the Newton Tracey total of 247-7, two wickets for Dave Smale and one for Martin Gear.
In the reply Dan Pickard was in sparkling form, hitting a faultless 63 whilst both Matt Westaway and Stewart Rhodes hit half centuries.
Julian Turner bagged three wickets for Tracey but that final ball from Spencer Peate was swatted to the boundary by Burbidge and North Devon celebrated a thrilling win.
Braunton played game number five of their Division Two campaign and they slumped to a second defeat, beaten at home by Victoria Park who claimed the game by eight wickets.
Ian Roberts top scored with 72 and Ed Holmes hit 43 in the hosts 201, three wickets for Dave Branch and then a wonderful century from John Glass, he finished unbeaten on 101, saw Victoria Park to a big win. Colin Bettis hit 46 for the victors.
Filleigh are played two, won two in Division Three after a seven-wicket win over Hatherleigh. Tom Rogers (51) and Rob Fishleigh (47) took Hatherleigh to a close of 182-6, two wickets for Fraser James and then Martin Collier (54) and James Hill (38no) saw Filleigh II to the win.
Holsworthy made a winning start to their campaign as they beat visiting Tiverton & Bickleigh by three wickets. The mid-Devon side posted 171-9, two wickets for Andy Mortimer and Duncan Edwards, but the bowling star was Steve Drew who took 3-33 and then scored 40 in the successful run chase. Keith Drew hit 30 and John Tidball an unbeaten 44.
Incorrigibles have made a splendid start to life in Division Three after last year's relegation and it's two wins from two as they followed up the previous weekend's win at Hatherleigh with a quickfire win at Bude on Sunday afternoon.
They bowled out the hosts for 186, with three wickets for Gavin Ewing, two each for brothers Selwyn Elston (2-24) and Alex Elston (2-20). Then South African Riaan Jeggles blasted a rapid fire unbeaten 113 as he and James Hope (33no) got their team home in just 26 overs.
Other sides might not find Incorrigibles quite so tough though. Ewing is a former Zimbabwe one-day international player and Jeggles currently plays in South Africa for Eastern Province.
Both have signed to play for Paignton in the Devon League this summer and were getting some pre-season practice in.
The connection is Hope, who has also joined Paignton this season and persuaded his new team-mates to have a run out at the Crooklets.
Cullompton got their Division Four campaign off to a winning start with a 31-run win at home to Lynton & Lynmouth II. The opening run of the Landspeed Meadow Season came off the bat of Heffen Wood and he went on to hit a top score of 42 with the Martin brother, Richard (23) and James (23no) giving good support. In the reply Lynton & Lynmouth were bowled out for 144 with Gary Norman bagging the sides' first league wicket of the new season. Norman went on to claim 3-26, James Martin completed a good afternoon's work with bat and ball, he took 2-24.
Cheriton Fitzpaine made it a winning start in Division Four too as they overcame visiting Black Torrington by five wickets in a run feast at Cheriton. The visitors posted a competitive 258, James Mayne cracking 104, two wickets for Ted Brigden and Phil Cutler, Then, after Mike Foan (17) and Peter Blight (44) got their side off to a solid start, later runs came from skipper Charles Sheldrake (44), John Pitt (35) and the two who were not out at the close were Cutler (38no) and Brigden (21no).
Westleigh II got off to a winning start in Division Five with a three-wicket win over visiting Newton Tracey II. Tracey posted a mild 214-7, Graham Moore getting 59 and Mark Cowling being one shy of a half-century when unbeaten at the close.
Lee Merrick had a good afternoon in the field for Westleigh, he was responsible for two of the three run outs, Richard Pears was the most successful bowler with his 2-12. James Ford hit a magnificent 93 and Lee Farrant got 25 whilst it was left to skipper James Tythcott (22no) and Matt Wilson (14no) to see Westleigh home.
North Devon III beat Kelseymen by two wickets, the hosts getting home on 178-8 in reply to the visitors all out total of 177. Max Curtis bagged a couple of wickets for North Devon with his off-spin and then Tom Stanton (35) and Stewart Rhodes (50) saw their side to victory.
Bideford had too much for hosts Barnstaple & Pilton 3 beating them by 142 runs. Alan Withecombe blasted 138, James Hocking hit 32 in a commanding total of 276-5, Three wickets for Peter Gleave and two for Gavin Drew. Hocking bagged four wickets as Barum were bowled out for 134.
In Division Six the two mid Devon representatives, Halberton and Bradninch II are setting the early pace as both chalked up wins in their second games of the campaign.
Halberton had far too much for Ilfracombe II who were bowled out for 124. Marcus Busch and Fred Harding both claimed three wickets, Jeremy Turner took two and there was a wicket also for 14-year-old Josh Dowling, who bowled three overs taking 1-7.
Bradninch saw off Filleigh III in a game described by skipper Chris Dean as ‘thrilling'. The visitors batted first and were bowled out for 144. Chris Acton taking 4-10 and Simon Bailey 2-4.
The reply looked to be on course at 100-2, then slumped to 132-9 leaving a couple of 15-year-olds to see Bradninch to a thrilling single-wicket victory.
Teenage last pair Mark Bailey (11no) and Richard Lucey (2no) got Bradninch to the winning line and there was also a debut for the winners from 11-year-old Tom Sherman. Another youngster, 15-year-old Ollie Cottrell, hit a solid 18.
Division One
Barnstaple & Pilton 228-9 (B Saunders 70no, R Bowden 52;P Steele 2-33 ), Sandford 230-5 (R Foan 87, A Small 59; H McEndoo 4-59). Sandford (20pts) bt Barnstaple & Pilton (5) by 5 wkts.
Newton Tracey 247-7 (R Gear 48, J Whormsley 47, S Gear 36D Smale 2-29), North Devon 250-6 (D Pickard 63, M Westaway 54, S Rhodes 53 J Turner 3-37). North Devon (20pts) bt Newton Tracey (6) by 4 wkts.
Sandford 228-9 (R Foan 53, P Smith 49 R Ayre 3-30, J Tapp 3-62), North Molton 232-8 (M Green 50, T Wright 37; R Foan 2-28, S Ashplant 2-42). North Molton (20pts) bt Sandford (8) by II wkts.
Bideford (20pts) bt Ilfracombe (0). Ilfracombe failed to raise a side.
Division Two
Braunton 201 (I Roberts 72, E Holmes 43; D Branch 3-35), Victoria Park 205-2 (J Glass 101no, C Bettis 46). Victoria Park (20pts) bt Braunton (2) by 8 wkts.
Division Three
Bude 186 (A De Rosa 37; G Ewing 3-21, S Elston 2-24), Incorrigbles 187-3 (R Jeggles 113no, J Hope 33no). Incorrigibles (20pts) bt Bude (3) by 7 wkts.
Hatherleigh 182-6 (T Rogers 51, R Fishleigh 47; F James 2-14), Filleigh II 186-3 (M Collier 54, J Hill 38no). Filleigh II (20pts) bt Hatherleigh (3) by 7 wkts.
Tiverton & Bickleigh 171-9 (S Drew 3-33, A Mortimer 2-26, D Edwards 2-18), Holsworthy 172-7 (J Tidball 44no, S Drew 40, K Drew 30). Holsworthy (20pts) bt Tiverton & Bickleigh (7) by 3 wkts.
Division Four
Cullompton 175 (H Wood 42, R Martin 23, J Martin 23no; M Ryan 3-27, N Bowen 3-26, H Stockhill 3-19), Lynton & Lynmouth 144 (S Shambrook 48, G Turner 11; G Norman 3-26, J Martin 2-24). Cullompton (20pts) bt Lynton & Lynmouth (8) by 31 runs.
Black Torrington 258 (J Mayne 104, L Cockwill 74 P Cutler 2-29), Cheriton Fitzpaine 259-5 (C Sheldrick 44, P Blight 41, P Cutler 38n0). Cheriton Fitzpaine (20pts) bt Black Torrington (5) by 5 wkts.
Division Five
Kelseymen 177, North Devon 3 178-8 (S Rhodes 50no, T Stanton 35). North Devon III (20pts) bt Kelseymen (8) by II wkts.
Newton Tracey 214-7 (G Moore 59, M Cowling 49no; R Pearson 2-12), Westleigh II 216-7 (J Ford 93, L Farrant 25, J Tythcott 22no; J Burford 4-44). Westleigh II (20pts) bt Newton Tracey II (7) by 3 wkts.
Bideford II 276-5 (A Withecombe 138, J Hocking 32), Barnstaple & Pilton 3 134 (S Webber 31; J Hocking 4-35). Bideford II (20pts) bt Barnstaple & Pilton (0) by 142 runs.
Newton Tracey II 214-7 (G Moore 59, M Cowling 49no; R Pearson 2-12), Westleigh II 216-7 (J Ford 93, L Farrant 25; J Burford 4-44). Westleigh II (20pts) by Newton Tracey II (7) by 3 wkts.
Division Six
Filleigh 3 144 (M Mogford 50; C Acton 4-10, S Bailey 2-4), Bradninch II 147-9 (R Acton 55, O Cottrell 18, S Bailey 17, M Bailey 11no; A webber 3-9). Bradninch II (20pts) bt Filleigh 3 (10) by 1 wkt.
Ilfracombe II 124 (M Bush 3-21, F Harding 3-11, T Turner 2-26, J Dowling 1-7), Halberton 127-3 (K Feaver 51, J Turner 29, D Coles 24). Halberton (20pts) bt Ilfracombe II (3) by 7 wkts.