Devon Cricket Board - A Division - Torquay have new targets

Celebration time! Torquay hang out the flags after beating Alphington last Saturday to seal promotion from the A Division as champions

A DIVISION

TORQUAY won’t be easing up although the title is already in the bag – especially as arch rivals Barton are the visitors to the Recreation Ground.

While Torquay savour the sweet taste of success, Barton are scrapping to avoid being relegated into the B Division for the first time in their history.

Torquay skipper Justin Yau has some unfinished business for the season, such as emulating the Premier winning sides of 1976 and 1996, who went through the season unbearten.

Yau also wants to break the 300-point barrier, which all adds up to no favours for Barton, even though the Torquay captain knows the old enemy will come out red in tooth and claw!

“I am convinced we will have a tough game as we are playing Barton - our fiercest rivals - and they are potentially in the biggest scrap they have ever been involved in,” said Yau.

“With the 2nd XI now out of contention for promotion, we will play the strongest side possible and ensure we will give Barton absolutely nothing.

“We owe them for the pain we all felt last year when we lost at the Rec' for the first time.

“We may be champions, but we are up for this game like no other; and as big a game it is for them, it is of ultimate importance to us that we will try and make them struggle for every single point we play for.

“We will clash with them head on, we will be up for battle like this is our last ever game and it would not make us lose any sleep at all if we consigned them to relegation this week.

“We have goals of our own still- we want to remain unbeaten, we want to reach 300 points in the league and there are personal milestones which my players are aiming to reach to keep knocking on the door for Devon Lions and future county honours.

“We have been brilliant all year and despite Aaron Williams and Jan Bothma missing, I'm convinced we have enough strength in the side to do a job on them.

“Derbies have a funny way of biting you in the backside if there is a sniff of complacency lingering around. We will do everything we can to guard against that and will remain as professional as ever.

“The pressure is all on Barton - they are the ones who need to play positive cricket and come out with a win somehow in this game. Any draw would mean they are still probably bottom of the league.

“We are itching to get going on Saturday and cannot wait to cross the whitewash.”

Barton skipper Adam Parker declined to get involved in the verbal jousting with Yau, preferring to concentrate on winning the game rather hyping it up.

“We have two games of cricket left to save our season,” said Parker.

“The whole club is behind the 11 players who take the field on Saturday and each and every one of them will be fighting tooth and nail to get a win, this would be no different if we were playing any other club.

“The fact that it is Torquay obviously adds a little bit extra to the game but our priority is getting a win, not in beating Torquay.

“This year we have not played good enough cricket, the league table does not lie in that respect.

“However, with two games left and relegation to fight, it comes down to how much the players want to be playing in the same division next year?

“I can safely say every player will be giving everything to stay up.”

BRAUNTON, away to Abbotskerswell, haven’t given up all hope of promotion even though they lag behind second-placed Exeter by 11points

Not beating Shobrooke Park last Saturday may just come back to haunt Braunton, said skipper Jon Baglow.

“On a number of occasions this year we have worked hard to get in fantastic positions during games and have not been able to kill sides off.,” said a rueful Baglow.

“Bowling first we have had great starts with sides four or five down early on and they have gone on to bat 50 overs, or more frustrating.

“In probably four games we have had sides eight down with overs to go and not been able to bowl them out.

“The difference in the points in just one game is crucial, but if it happens four times it can have a massive bearing on where you finish in the league.

“Fair play to sides who are battling for points and stick it out, the pressure is on the fielding side. Shobrooke's eighth wicket fell in the 42nd over and they batted through to 55 without further loss.

“This is something that we have to work on and change in the late stages off games.

“With Exeter rained off last week we missed out a little, but we have closed the gap so the pressure is on them as we will be pushing them in the last two games.”

Abbots are without batters Richard Lake and Richard Ashworth and say farewell to Steve Short as he retires after this game.

Skipper Josh Dowling knows a competitive game is in prospect for Short’s last outing.

“Braunton will obviously be very keen as they are still in promotion hunt, but we will not be giving them any favours and we will make them work for every point,” said Dowling.

SANDFORD skipper Matt Theedom has sounded a warning ahead of the game against Cornwood that defeat could spell the end of his side’s promotion chances.

With two games to go and 40 points to play for, Sandford are one point behind second-placed Exeter in what appears to be a two-horse race for the runners-up slot behind Torquay.

However, Theedom has looked at the tables, done some sums and come to a worrying conclusion.

“If we aren’t careful we could easily end up being third in a two-horse race and Brixham (4th) can’t be written off yet,” said Theedom.

“If either Exeter (219pts) or ourselves (218) slip up now it could let Brixham (208) sneak ahead of both of us.

“At first sight that may seem unlikely as Exeter’s last two games are Shobrooke and Barton down at the bottom. We all know teams fighting for survival can pull off shock results sometimes though.

“As for us we have Cornwood – a decent side – then the one which could trip us up: Brixham.

“We could do with beating Cornwood and it would help if Alphington did us and themselves a favour by turning Brixham over.”

Sandford’s previous meeting with Cornwood this season was soured by dissent issues during the game which led to three Cornwood players being banned.

Theedom said he hoped the clubs could return to the previous good relations they had enjoyed.

“We have always had good games with Cornwood in the past and I would hope there is no hangover,” said Theedom.

Cornwood – safe from the drop after last weekend’s results – are already looking ahead to next season and keeping their 2^nd XI in Premier Two for another summer.

“Its an understatement to say that this season has been a learning curve for all, but with the curtains soon to close on another campaign we are looking at many more positives outweighing any negatives we have experienced both as a team and a club,” said skipper Craig Harris.

“Similarly to last week we have the clubs best intentions at heart when looking at selection, but with myself, Adam Goodliffe and Duncan Boase returning we are still putting out a competitive team against Sandford.

We are aware of Sandford's position in the league and similarly to last week, and next weeks game against Torquay, we are going in to the game to compete and win, and put as many points on our tally as possible.

“We aren't out to do anyone any favours, we just want to go out as a group and enjoy the last couple of games.

:Fingers crossed for the weather, and then our guys can go out and have some fun, before we play our last game at home.”

EXETER – at home to Shobrooke Park – are feeling the pressure just a little after seeing their lead over Sandford trimmed by eight points last time out.

While Sandford were drawing with Abbotskerswell, the City side weren’t playing at all, which is why they lost ground.

Exeter skipper Jon Tipper has also been looking at the fixture list and has set his own target for going up.

“It is so tight now that winning isn’t enough – we need two 20 pointers to keep the other sides behind us,” said Tipper.

“The league is decided over 18 games not two and had we won a few games we messed up in we would be up there with Torquay already.

“We didn’t and that’s why we have to give it all we’ve got against Shobrooke, who won’t make it easy for us as they are scrapping to stay up.

“Of all the teams down at the bottom – Shobrooke Barton and Alphington – Shobrooke look the best equipped to stay up as they have some decent bowling and a bit or batting.

“When you put it all together, we are in for a difficult afternoon.”

Shobrooke are boosted by the return of Peter Turner and Cliff Dare, which will add some bite to their bowling armoury.

Skipper Chris Ford said he was encouraged by Tipper’s comments, adding: “At half way it didn’t look like panning out too well for us but we have improved over the season.

“We have a chance, no more than that, but our batsmen are in a bit of form and if they can take a few runs of Exeter you never know what can happen.”

Exeter have to manage without Devon batsman Rob Holman, who is getting married today, and seamer Andy Mead, who is attending a wedding tomorrow.

“Rob knew if he got married on a Saturday it would put us in a difficult position, so he went for the Friday instead,” said a grateful Tipper.

In come Richard Nelsey as batting cover and ex-Surrey 2nd XI seamer Ricky Stevens, who is back in Exeter ahead of the new university term.

ALPHINGTON skipper Mark Porter will tell his team they have to fight to the finish if they are going to dodge the drop.

The Alphas – at home to Brixham tomorrow – share the second relegation slot with Shobrooke Park on 120 points. Bottom side Barton are 12 points further behind.

Defeats by Shobrooke Park and champions Torquay have left Alphington teetering on the brink.

Porter said the Alphas have to look at the way they have played and do something about it… fast.

“In the last two games when we needed to show some fight we didn’t,” said Porter.

“The game against Torquay should have been a real battle after we got them 30-odd for three, but we dropped catches, two of their blokes in the middle order batted well and we are chasing two hundred and plenty.

“Some soft dismissals and a game we could have got something out of was lost.

“If we want to stay up we really have to start fighting hard now.”

Batter Steve Poortman returns to add depth to the order against Brixham.

Brixham, like Braunton, could sneak into the promotion places if results elsewhere go their way, not that skipper Mark Orchard is holding his breath in anticipation!

“We'll keep pushing for the last two games and what happens will happen,” said Orchard.

“I can't see Exeter dropping too many points against Barton and shobrooke even though both teams will be scrapping to not be relegated.

“Alphas won't be easy either this weekend, as they are in the same boat with everything to play for, so we won't be underestimating them and will have to play at our best to keep our unbeaten run going.”

Will Matthewman is back in the side this week.