Devon Cricket Board - A Division - Plympton new leaders

PLYMPTON are the new leaders in the A Division after trouncing bottom side Braunton by 147 runs.

Andy Walter top scored with 65 as Plympton made 252 all out in the last of their 45 overs.

The stand of the match was one of 135 between Andy Walter and Dave Wrench (49), who were brought together at 16 for two.

Pavi Mawalage (28), Wes Hartslief (24) and skipper Jeremy Williams (22) all kept the board ticking over.

Pick of the Braunton bowlers by quite a distance was Devon youngster Alfie Huxtable (5-52).

Braunton were 55 for five at one stage and did well to muster 105 all out. Mark Mitchell (21) and Mike Paine (20) had the only scores of note.

Hartslief (3-20) and Jamie Lee (3-24) softened up the batters, leaving Mawalage (3-2) to finish off the stragglers.

Heathcoat, who were top, lost to Sandford and slipped down to second.

Skipper Williams knows there is a long way to go yet before he can start talking about returning to the Premier Division – and a meeting with Heathcoat in two weeks time to negotiate.

Williams said it was a good result considering his side had the worst of the conditions for batting on a wet day.

“We batted reasonably well to get 252 and benefited from another excellent innings from Andy Walter at the top,” said Williams.

“Waltz put on a strong partnership with Dave Wrench through the middle overs, setting us up nicely to play a few shots at the end.

Pavi Mawalage the pick of the batting in the latter overs, with a nice little cameo.

“A decent, clinical performance all-round.”

PLYMSTOCK’S worries in the A Division took a turn for the worse when they lost by five wickets against fellow strugglers Brixham.

Only Morgan Parkinson (27) hung around for long as Craig Eaves (6-15) was largely responsible for bowling out Plymstock for 88.

Mark Abbott (3-19) then helped reduce Brixham to 20 for five in reply, but a chancy knock of 42 not out by George Northcott condemned Plymstock to defeat.

Victory hoisted Brixham out of the bottom two and installed Plymstock there instead.

Plymstock have only won twice all season and have been warned by vice-captain James Nicholls they have to turn things round fast.

‘We had a poor result in a game we should have won,” said Nicholls.

“We have been poor for most of the season and attitudes around the club have to change.

“People think we are too good to go down, but I can assure them we are not.

“We had the poor end of the toss on a bad wicket that did loads

“Craig Eaves bowled really well - full and swinging the ball late - which is handy at this level.

“We had them 20 for five and should have cleared then out from there.

“Northcott batted well but slapped it and we dropped him three times, which you can't afford to do with such a low score on the board.”

HEATHCOAT are off the top of the A Division for the first time this season after suffering a five-wicket defeat in the derby clash with Sandford.

Heathcoat were all out for an unimpressive 123 in the 45th over with recalled Tom Frankpitt making a top score of 33.

Sandford had Heathcoat in all sports of trouble at 45 for five with Jamie Palmer (2-13) knocking off both openers then Simon Ashplant (2-19), Linton Terblanche (1-20) and Russell Discombe (2-20) piling on the pressure.

Frankpitt and Jason Parr (29no) delayed the inevitable, but Heathcoat were always going to struggle defending such a low total.

Sandford raced along to 70 for nine in the first 15 overs of their reply, then lost opener Discombe (24) to a Jean Rossouw run-out.

Richard Tucker went two runs later to a Jason Williams throw and when Scott Tremain was spun out first ball by Rossouw Sandford were 72 for three.

Terblanche got on with it – he hit 38 off 36 balls – and by the time he was fifth out the target was 11 to win. Matt Theedom and Ryan Glass got them.

“It was a freat result and a strong performance from everyone,” said winning skipper Ashplant. “Jamie Palmer again bowled excellently with the new ball.”

Plympton (12pts) are the new leaders thanks to their win over Braunton. Heathcoat (118) drop to second with Sandford (114) next in third.

Heathcoat will be looking to bounce back this Saturday when they go to Abbotskerswell. Sandford visit Brixham.

Heathcoat skipper Smith said he saw it as losing a battle, not a war, and is confident the next win isn’t far away.

“Obviously a disappointing result with very few positives to take,” said Smith.

“However, we will not panic. I have said from the start that the A Division is always a fight.

“If I had been offered six from seven two months ago I would have taken it

“We will regroup this week and start again next Saturday – and I am sure put Sandford behind us quickly.

“I have a group of players who are committed and have a hunger to win.”

TOM Porter was Barton’s man of the moment with the bat to clinch an unlikely one-wicket win over Paignton in the big Bay derby.

Paignton’s 204 for eight in 45 overs looked a little off the pace at tea – but Barton struggled to keep up for much of their reply.

When Alex Hunt was ninth man out on 167 – a Paignton win looked a formality.

Porter has an uncomplicated approach to batting – if it’s in the slot he hits it – and with nothing to lose that’s what he did.

With last man Stuart Bowker propping up the other end, he made 11 off 17 balls, Porter lashed four fours and three sixes on his way to 43 not out as Barton crept home with 14 balls to go.

Paignton’s total had been constructed round a knock of 84 from Rob Shergold, who hit 12 boundaries.

Shergold went in at 32 for one and came put at 167 for six. Along the way there was a stand of 89 with Richard Ashworth.

Fanie deVillers smashed 42 off 18 balls – no fours, five sixes – as Paignton pressed the accelerator late on.

Pick of the bowlers with five for 34 was Tom Drake. Porter took the new ball and bowled seven overs for just 17 runs.

Barton’s reply started badly with Chris Pennar and Damon Calland out to successive balls to de Villiers in a running total of 12 for two.

Hasan Badat (30) and Adam Parker (35) move the score along to 68, then Shergold (2-31) and Stephen George (2-45) got the brake on.

It was bits and pieces after that until Porter and Bowker came up trumps at the end.

HATHERLEIGH teed themselves up nicely for a make-or-break run of fixtures with a five-wicket win over visiting Abbotskerswell.

Mark Lake’s team hadn’t won since beating Brixham on the opening day of the season and were a bit too close to the bottom for comfort.

Victory over Abbots hoists Hatherleigh two places and 12 points clear of the drop zone going into a round of games against the other struggling sides.

This Saturday it is Plymstock (9^th) away, followed by Braunton (10^th) then Brixham (8^th).

“It was a good toss to win as there was a bit in the wicket for the bowlers and we got to use it,” said Lake.

“We badly needed a win this week as we needed a lift before the difficult run of games coming up.”

Guy Harrison-Roberts top scored for Abbots with 50 in their total of 194 for eight. Charlie Garrett made 50. Pick of the bowlers with three for 27 was Charlie Nielson.

Gareth Tidball led the Hatherleigh reply with 51, backed up by Simon Gillespie (32) and Andy Collier 24). Abbots slung down 41 wides, which did them no favours.

Ryan Williams (3-31) had the best bowling return for Abbots, who entertain Heathcoat this Saturday.