Devon Cricket Board - C Division - Nail biter for Pens

C Division - Nail biter for Pens

IPPLEPEN captain Keith Wakeham won’t have any fingernails left at all if Saturday’s game at Kingsbridge turns out to be as close as the two-wicket win over Yelverton.

The Pens are up to fifth in the table after winning a rain-affected game in thrilling finish.

Yelverton made 196 for eight in what started out as a 44-over game – Richard Goldsby-West making a top score of 40.

There were three wickets for Tom Dyer, two for Paul Thomas and one for Steve Bowden.

Jay Harrison then took five Ipplepen wickets for 16 runs as the home side subsided to 46 for six in reply. It looked like game over.

Dyer had other ideas and – despite a break for rain – turned the match in Ipplepen’s favour.

A stand of 66 with Bowden got the score up to 123 for eight – and the rain break meant the target had come down to 171 with seven overs to make up the difference.

Dyer and Thomas kept on going, reaching the last over needing 20 to win with Thomas (16) on strike.

Dyer smashed Ian Loze’s last two balls for six to win the game.

CHAGFORD will be aiming to take Bideford’s unbeaten record home when they pay a visit to Westward Ho!

Derek Lammonbys side could do with a pick-me-up after losing by three wickets to second-placed Axminster last time out, which dropped them down to fifth.

Divan Marais slammed 130 for Chagford, who were 199 for three when he got out. Lammonby (32) and Paul Penberthy (33) contributed toward a final score of 227 for nine.

Axminster’s innings was reduced to 37 overs by rain – and their target 188 to win.

Although Lammonby (3-12) kept the batsmen honest, an undefeated 71 from Paul Miller saw Axminster over the line.

The game between Dartington & Totnes and Kingsbridge at Foxhole was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

Darts are on the road to Axminster this Saturday.

CLYST St George captain James Meredith is keeping is eyes on the weather forecast in the run up to Saturday’s trip to Plymouth CS&R.

For the last thing Meredith wants is another fiasco on the lines of last Saturday;s six-wicket defeat in the rain by leaders Bideford.

Clyst made a respectable 227 all out with Mike Raynor hitting 67 to haul them round from 96 for five.

After Meredith fell for 31, Fred King (2-29) and Matt Stewart (2-30) put Clyst under the cosh until Raynor and Steve May (41) got them going again with a stand of 81.

Dan Barratt (2-31) and Josh King (2-41) picked up late wickets.

Bideford’s worst position on the chase was 37 for two after Steve Bourke picked off James Ford and Matt Allin cheaply.

A stand of 128 between Jodi Gilmore (81) and Josh King (56) put the game to bed.

Bideford’s rain-reduced target was 187, which they passed in the 26th over.

“We had the worst of the weather ad I couldn’t grip the ball or stand up when bowling after the rain break,” said Meredith.

“I fell face down four balls in a row – yet we stayed out there and god beaten and collected two injuries as well.

“I am just relieved none of our seamers are in hospital.”

OTTERY St Mary captain Jody Clements wants to put more distance between his side and the wrong end of the table when they visit Yelverton.

Last Saturday’s six-wicket win over Plymouth CS&R pulled Ottery three points clear of Yelverton, who replaced them in the bottom two.

Win this one and Ottery could be 20 points clear.

“Beating Civil was a result we hoped for an doing it again at Yelverton really will open up some distance between us and the bottom two,” said Clements.

Civil were 60 for none then 69 for four and eventually reached 160 all out – Jason Williams top scoring on 32.

Rob Johns had three for 22 and there were two wickets each for Clements and James Faulkner.

Ottery started inauspiciously – they were five for two – but Jack Pritchard went in next and there he stayed, stroking an unbeaten 92 to win the game.

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