Devon Cricket Board - B Division: Plymstock in touching distance of title

B Division: Plymstock in touching distance of title

B DIVISION - WEEK 16

THORVERTON’S end-of-season revival continued with a thumping 124-run win over Dartington & Totnes

Paul Fielder carted the bowling for 126 – he and skipper Ally Fury (60) put on 101 for the first wicket – and there was a stand of 155 between Will Denford (61no) and Fielder for the third in a hefty total of 280 for four.

Dave Carter took two for 85 in 10 overs while Will Gornall suffered as well, taking none for 60 in eight;

Darts were all out for 156 in reply – the Veale brothers making 38 and 35 – with Nick Barton (4-31) and Blake Charlton (3-32) doing the damage with the ball.

Thors are now up to fifth in the table, 12 points off second place and in with a slim chance of joining the promotion party if they beat second-placed South Devon this Saturday.

Chudleigh were just pulling out of the club car park for the short trip to Clyst St George when the phone call came through to say the pitch was waterlogged.

The good news for Chudleigh was that promotion rivals South Devon were six-wicket losers away to leaders Plymstock, whose 35-point lead means they are as good as promoted with two games to go.

South Devon lost the toss and the game with it as they were inserted on a wet one at Dean Cross and slumped to 30 for five under pressure from JackThomas (2-17) and Morgan Parkinson (3-33).

Dave Baldock made a modest top score of 22, although a last-wicket stand of 25 between Pat Duke and Matt Coult kept Plymstock out there longer than they anticipated.

Plymstock opener Dom Wood (47) went through 800 league runs for the season before he was caught at slip off Coult (3-28) with victory in sight.

Ollie Mulberry (26no) wrapped things up for Plymstock with 24 overs to spare.

South Devon have a five-point advantage over Chudleigh. South Devon have Thorverton and Axminster to play while Chudleigh play Axminster then Barnstaple.

Axminster moved within a dozen points of B Division survival when they triumphed by eight runs in their must-win meeting with fellow strugglers Chagford.

Batting first Dan Murnane top scored with 29 in an Axminster total of 114 for nine. There were four wickets for Jeremy Christopher and two for Neil Rowlands.

Chagford hosts got the run chase down to needing 16 off the last two overs with four wickets in hand.

There were runs for Stuart Lord (24) and Christophers (24) before it all went sour, Hjoel Seward (4-15) doing the damage.

Dave Murnane bowled the penultimate over and went for three off the first ball before sending down four successive dot balls and the final delivery saw the stumps knocked over!

That left the home side needing 11 from six deliveries with Matt Pyle (2-13) bowling the final over of the contest.

His first delivery struck the wickets, his second saw a run-out and he finished things off in style by hitting the stumps with the final delivery to give Axminster an eight run win with the final four wickets falling in consecutive deliveries.

Axminster are 28 points clear of the drop zone and probably safe. Not so Chagford, who are 15 points adrift and up before a league discipline panel tomorrow (Wednesday) which could cost them a points deduction if dissent charges against Arnie Searle are proved.

Barnstaple’s game against Tavistock was called off just as it was getting interesting.

Ian Gray and Rhys Davies has matching scores of 58 in Tavvy’s total of 168 for seven. George McEndoo topped the bowling returns for B&P.

Chris Hutchings had both wickets to fall as B&P reached 40 for two in 11 overs.

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