DIVISION ONE
THE North Devon Cricket League First Division title race looks like being one of the most keenly contested for years. In recent seasons there has been a monopoly of the main honour between the “big three” of North Devon, Sandford and last year's champions North Molton but this year, with the half way mark approaching just three points separate the top six sides indeed two, North Devon and Bideford share the leadership on a points average of 16.80 with Newton Tracey just .30 of a point further back.
Bideford inflicted a 32 run defeat on Beaford. Matt Allin top scored with 65 with the bat and both Keith Bettis and Luke Kerr had knocks of 26. Martin Barrett claimed five wickets, he finished with 5-29 and Mark Lake picked up a couple at a cost of 26 runs as the home side closed on 209. Jack Perham then took 4-21 and Matt Clarke 3-27 as the Beaford reply ended on 177, Mark Heal hit 49, Geoff Lake chipped in with 37.
Newton Tracey declared their intent with a big win over Barnstaple & Pilton. Barum batted first and managed to make their way 20 212-9 with Brady Saunders's unbeaten 64 comfortably their best individual innings, Steve Bater, John Turner and John Walmsley all took two wickets and then Walmsley hit an un beaten 45 alongside a splendid unbeaten century from Julian Moore that saw Newton Tracey to a seven wicket win.
North Molton skipper Tom Wright may have conceded his sides chances of the North Devon League title this season after last weeks defeat but a 39 run win over struggling Ilfracombe has thrust the reigning champions very much into the congested ‘mix' at the top of the table. Wrights side are 5th but just three points separate the top six clubs in what promises to be one of the closest title races for many seasons. North Molton scored 242-3 with the two Matts - Geen and Green very much the main contributors. Geen, a century scorer the previous week in the 2nds repeated the exercise with a splendid unbeaten 101 and Green hit 96 but plucky Ilfracombe had a go at the total but ran out of overs on 202-7 with Mark Kavanagh hitting a stylish unbeaten 66. Ilfracombe remain cast adrift at the bottom of the table having already lost six and seen one of their opening seven games abandoned.
DIVISION TWO
UNBEATEN leaders Bradninch march on after they claimed a 165 run win in the Mid Devon derby at Shobrooke Park. Bradninch plundered 306-6 led by Ross Acton's 102, Ryan Butterworth chipped in with 64 and Henry Scott also hit a half century.
John Sweeney picked up a couple of wickets for the hosts who replied with 141. Roger Jones top scored with an unbeaten 35 whilst Henry Scott completed a fine all round performance with two wickets, a feat also achieved by Billy Wakeley but the most profitable bowler was Luke Wrightson with 3-58.
Lynton & Lynmouth had too much for Barnstaple & Pilton II who they beat by eight wickets. The right arm seam of Mark Galiford did the damage as he claimed figures of 4-31 and there were wickets for Graham Fitt, Ian Hobbs, Matt Ryan and Nick Bowen as Barum were all out for just 128 and then a Gary Jones unbeaten knock of 36 together with 32 from Steve Hunt saw Lynton & Lynmouth to the win. It looks very much now a three team race for the two promotion spots. Both Victoria Park and Bradninch remain 100%, whilst Lynton, one game away from their half way mark, have won five and lost one of their seven games to date.
DIVISION THREE
FILLEIGH II beat Sandford by thirty runs with fine knocks from Godfrey Tucker (68) and Dave Boyd (57) guiding their side to 251-7 and then three bowlers, Andrew Collier, Mike Prideaux and James Marsh each took three wickets.
Sandford II's Brent Howard turned in a wonderful all round performance . Howard claimed four of the Filleigh wickets to fall and then he hit a top score 96 as he and George Greed (41) tried their best to engineer their side an unlikely win, but the Creedy Park men were bowled out for 221 to lose by thirty runs.
Bude won by five wickets at Holsworthy and it was very much a day for the Hockin's with Sam taking 4-10 in nine overs as the hosts were restricted to 196-9, Steve Drew hitting an unbeaten 58 and then Ashley Hockin top scored with 63, Drew claimed two wickets to go with his earlier runs, but Bude won on 200-5.
Witheridge-based Incorrigibles were humbled by North Devon II who beat them by ten wickets. What's more it was a tale of ‘ a grand welcome home' to a player who used to play for the Instow side and who these days live in the USA. Matt Curtner-Smith turned out for his former side and hit an unbeaten half century as he and Chris Welch (41no) took their side to a ten wicket win after leg spinner Dan Pickard had weaved some magic to bowl Incorrigibles out for just 107 with only Alex Elston (24) and Ed Pincombe (23) getting runs of note and the Instow side powered home without losing a wicket.
Hatherleigh also claimed a nig win though there's was only ‘nearly perfect' as they bowled out Tiverton & Bickleigh for 99 and then lost a single wicket chasing down the runs. James Blake's 22 was the best in the home offering and when Hatherleigh batted Scott Hudson picked up the single wicket to fall.
DIVISION FOUR
Cheriton Fitzpaine lost by six wickets at Bratton Fleming II despite Mike Foan hitting 43. The Cherries were bowled out for 166, with Andrew Tunnicliffe and Pete Simmons both bagging two wickets but the star of the bowling show was 13 year old Ollie Hunt who took 3-16. The home side got home losing just four wickets with Graham Barrow leading the way with 82, Steve Ayre scored 24.
Sadly Cullompton once again failed to raise a side, this the second successive time this has happened and it left scheduled hosts Club Shebbear most unhappy as Andy Bryan explained: “We have a tea lady who travels from Saltash and we had everything here ready and waiting. I didn't even get the common courtesy of a call to say that Cullompton were not coming. It really is not on and I am afraid we shall have to ask the league management to look at how we can get reimbursed for the costs that went into preparing everything for the game”
There was action at Victoria Park II where Lynton & Lynmouth were beaten by 40 runs. Tim Lane (54no) and Steve Skinner (46) helped their side to 243-7, two wickets for Jim Snell and the visitors replied with 203-9, Nick Constable top scored with an unbeaten 46 but that was still six shy of the contribution from ‘extras' - that amounted to 52!
DIVISION FIVE
THREE games were played in the Division and the most runs were scored at Braunton where Kelseymen beat North Devon III by 30 runs. Steve Cresswell hit a fine 72 as he and Colin Hack (46) led their side to 246-8. 13 year old Tom Ansell picked up 4-18 in 4 splendid overs for North Devon II who replied with 216-9. Mark Ansell, Father of young Tom, top scored with 82, Dan Elston scored 42 whilst Ansell Junior completed a wonderful all round effort with 27.
Newton Tracey made it a case of ‘double delight' with their result matching their 1st XI's as they won at Barnstaple & Pilton III by four wickets. Lee Cole hit an unbeaten 52 whilst both Eric Beer and Simon Pym scored 32 in the Barum offering of 208-7. Mark Cowling claimed two wickets before top scoring with 56 as he and Graham Moore (51) took their team to a four wicket win.
Bishops Nympton claimed a two wicket win in a thrilling game at Westleigh II where the home side were bowled out for 154. Danny Donovan top scored with 45 but the ball was on top and Charlie Reed bagged 3-26. The Bishop's reply was in some bother after the early 28 from Mike Gregory but that man Reed came to his sides rescue with a timely unbeaten 17 to reach the required total with just two wickets to spare.
DIVISION SIX
NEW boys Halberton are clear at the top of the table after picking up a 40-point haul over the weekend. On Saturday Ilfracombe II pulled out of their scheduled meeting thus giving the Mid Devon side the 20 points and on Sunday they put previously unbeaten Bradninch to the sword beating them by seven wickets.
Matt Jarrett, 16, made his first 50 at senior level with an impressive clean-hitting display of four sixes and seven fours (one of which dented one of the Bradninch party's cars!). Jarrett was unbeaten on 68 at the close and other contributions came from Chris Dean (30) and Simon Bailey (25) saw Bradninch to a close of 177, the second half of the side being shot out for 17 runs! Ben Franks, Jeremy Turner and Dan Coles each took two wickets and then Coles hit an unbeaten 106 with eleven 4's as he and Kev Fever (35) added 93 for the first week and their side moved comfortably passed the winning line. Pete Grabham chipped in with 21 and Halberton are now outright leaders in their first season in Division Six.
Despite the first defeat of the campaign for his young charges Bradninch Sunday 2nd XI skipper Chris Dean was very upbeat about his sides efforts, saying: " It was a real achievement to field two sides from the club on the same day - this the first time that that has happend. We had three 'father and sons' in the XI. 16 year old Matt Jarrett made his first 50 at senior level, Harry Marks took his first senior wicket and Pete Cotterill (ex
Sandford and Exeter St James) bowled very well with no luck and is an extremely welcome addition to the Bradninch Club".
North Molton II went down by four wickets at Filleigh III and Nomansland got a thrashing at the hands of new boys Wear Giffard who had amongst their ranks a double centurion in a big score of 345-5, in the reply, which closed on 101 Chris Cole hit a half century and John Gibson picked up a broken nose whilst fielding when the ball ‘popped' up off the outfield and smacked the Witheridge man on the nose!
The game at Nomansland on Saturday saw the most impressive individual batting performance of the weekend with Wear Giffard's number five bat, Lee Huxtable coming to the wicket at the loss of the 2nd wicket ( Martin Beer had earlier retired hurt). There were just 25 overs of the innings to go and when the Wear Giffard account was closed Huxtable walked off with an unbeaten double century! His 207 included sixteen 6's and it helped his side to 345-5. Ian Jury then claimed 3-16 as then shell shocked hosts were bowled out for 101 and to add insult to injury they lost John Gibson with a broken nose when the ball ‘popped'up whilst he was fielding and smacked into his face. Chris Cole scored a half century for the hosts. Victorious skipper Bernie Wiltram said: “Lee has only started playing this season. He's in his early 20's and has taken something of a liking to the game. I am long in