WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6
KINGSKERSWELL sprung a surprise in the first round of the Newton Abbot & District Twenty20 when they defeated reigning champions Bovey Tracey by eight wickets.
The form book didn't exactly point to a Kerswell win as Bovey play five divisions above the Villagers on the Devon League ladder.
But Bovey's total of 139 for four proved well within Kingskerwell's range and was knocked off with a massive margin for a 20-over game of 13 balls to spare.
Andy Kingdon batted through for Bovey to make an unbeaten 59 and featured in stands of 41 for the third wicket with Matt Makepeace and 59 for the fourth with Ben Ayres.
Pick of the Kerswell bowlers were old warhorse Paul Harding and Phil Lacey, who picked up a couple of wickets each and went for less than five an over in their spells.
Kerswell lost opener Antony Waters on three, but by the time Peter Bradley removed second man Paul Mitchell the game was all but over.
Mitchell and West Indian import Sergio Fedee both whacked half-centuries while they were putting on 128 for the second wicket and getting the target down to 10 to win.
Mitchell faced 43 balls, hitting five fours and three sixes, while Fedee had two sixes and five fours in his 56-ball stay for 55 not out.
Bovey Tracey 139-4 (A Kingdon 59no, M Makepeace 20, B Ayres 25; P Lacey 2-17, P Harding 2-20), Kingskerswell 140-2 (P Mitchell 56, S Fedee 55no). Kingskerswell bt Bovey Tracey by 8 wkts.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6
CHUDLEIGH set a high benchmark for the rest of the campaign with a crushing 10-wicket win over Dawlish & Teignmouth.
The result was never in any doubt after Dawlish & Teignmouth were skittled out for 56 – Bhanu DeSilva claiming four wickets and two each going to Derek Perry and Mark Heather.
Bill Alcock top scored with 19 for D&T but when he was fourth out at 37 there wasn't much resistance from the rest.
Farhan Adil clouted the D&T bowling around for a quickfire 43 not out as he and Simon Rooke (9no) polished off the target at the start of the eighth over.
Dawlish & Teignmouth 56 (B Alcock 19; B DeSilva 4-13, D Perry 2-2, M Heather 2-7), Chudleigh 58-0 (F Adil 43no). Chudleigh bt Dawlish & Teignmouth by 10 wkts.
Forthcoming fixtures (June 13)” Abbotskerswell v Dawlish & Teignmouth; Kingskerswell v South Devon.