NORTH DEVON HOLIDAY HOMES LEAGUE – SUNDAY, AUGUST 26
NEWTON Tracey are now three wins away from claiming the First Division Title after they claimed a nine wicket win at Beaford.
The home side, despite defeat are now safe from the drop. Simon Gear hit an unbeaten 48 and Newton know that even if North Devon win their one remaining game then three wins from their own last three and it is Newton Tracey's title.
North Devon kept up the pressure with an 82 run win at Filleigh. Dan Pickard scored 60 in a total of 242-6, Matt Dart was then amongst the wickets as Filleigh were bowled out for 160.
Barnstaple & Pilton are destined for Division Two cricket next summer after they went down by just five runs at North Molton. Henry McEndoo took 4-16 and Steve Moore claimed 2-5 as the hosts were bowled out for 143, Rob Ayre top scoring with 40 but then only Rob Norton (31) made any impression with the bat as Geoff Dummett (3-19) and Charlie Down (3-19) combined to bowl out Barum for 138.
Westleigh claimed a major scallop when they became the first side to beat 100% Division Two Bradninch. It was a low scoring game in Mid Devon where Danny Donovan hit 59 in the Westleigh offering of 127 all out, Donovan then claimed three wickets as did both Richard Pearson and Charles Newton as then home side were bowled out for 101.
Bratton Flemming knocked another nail in Barnstaple & Pilton II's relegation coffin dishing out a nine wicket beating. Andrew Barton (46) and Pat McEndoo (37no) were the only Barum batsmen to make an impression in a total of 113, four more wickets for Nick Dartnoll and then Adam Payne and Ted Cumming both hit unbeaten half centuries to see their side to a near perfect win.
Lynton & Lynmouth took advantage of the defeats to both Bradninch and Victoria Park and it now looks as if they will be promoted when the season ends in a couple of weeks time as they beat Braunton by a single wicket in a thrilling contest. Braunton's Ian Roberts scored a superb 124 in the Braunton total of 228, Mark Jones bagged a ‘fivefer' for Lynton & Lynmouth who then scraped home with just one wicket and two overs remaining. Ed Yeo hit 84 for the winners but the heroes were the last pair of Matt Faulkner and Dave Eele, the latter striking the winning runs with a boundary.
Victoria Park saw their efforts to get out of Division Two and play in the top flight next season dealt a possible terminal blow as they went down by 54 runs at Shobrooke Park. Will Anderson hit 69 in the Park total of 200 replying to the home sides 254-5.
North Devon II lost the only Division Three game played, they closed on 188 chasing visiting Morebath's 199-5.
Barnstaple & Pilton II's day ended like that of their 1st and 2nd XI's – in defeat as they went down by four wickets to Division Five Promotion seeking Bishops Nympton. Barum's Eric Beer hit 67 to help his side to 169, four wickets for Mark Chaplin and three for Charlie Reed and then John Verney (36) and Simon Barnes (46) saw their side to a four-wicket win, Pete Gleave took 3-9 for the home side.
Just two games scheduled in the bottom Division and only one played. Ilfracombe II were a ‘no show' in the Saturday game at North Molton whilst on the same day Filleigh III won by a single run against visiting Nomansland.
BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY
THERE were just two Bank Holiday Monday matches. The Division Two game saw Lynton & Lynmouth take a great stride towards promotion to the top flight with a five-wicket win over visiting Heathcoat.
The Mid Devon side were bowled out for just 108 with 19 the highest individual score, struck by both Matt Parkes and Nick Lineham, the latter being not out. Ian Hobbs bagged a four wicket haul but the most impressive figures were those of Matt Ryan with 3-5 in six overs. South African Sean Dick whipped out two batsmen in the first over of the reply and at 4-3 the home sides promotion dream was in troubled waters but then Dan Hawkins hit a magnificent unbeaten 82 from just 37 balls including ten 6's and three 4's as he led his side to a five wicket win. Three to play for Lynton & Lynmouth and two wins will see them accompany Champions elect Bradninch in Division One next summer.
The game in Division Three saw Sandford II climb out of the relegation places with a 108 run win at home to Incorrigibles. Mark Curgenven (65), Brent Howard (38) and Pete Whitby, who reached his half century and then ‘retired' led their side to an imposing 262-2 and then Howard and Ryan Glass both helped themselves to four wickets each as the Witheridge side were bowled out for 154. Bude have slipped into the second relegation berth alongside ‘doomed' Tiverton & Bickleigh.