Devon Cricket Board - Plympton win thriller off last ball

Plympton win thriller off last ball

WHAT a finish! Skipper James Carr cracked the final ball of the match for four to give Plympton a thrilling win at Paignton.
Paignton had totted up 246 all out on a scorching day by the seaside – opener Zubyar Hamza leading the way with 94.
Plympton had it all to do at 169 for seven in reply with 12 overs to go and to scorer Wes Hartslief just out for 52.
Not for the first time this season Carr took the responsibilty himself and batted through for an unbeaten 42 to win the match.
Carr would be the first to admit he couldn’t have done it without assistance from Matt Gregory, whose contribution of 30 to a stand of 71 for the eight wicket was the difference between winning and losing.
Plympton were seven runs short of victory when Gregory was eighth out to George Benton (4-39) with seven balls to go.
Next man in Ryan Skinner got off the strike as quickly as he could, leaving Carr to hit the winning runs.
Hamza had anchored the early part of the Paignton innings, putting on 39 with Mark Smith and 65 with skipper Connor Bryan (22) as the home side reached 154 for five.
Josh Mailing removed Hamza lbw – but at a price as his two overs went for 27 runs.
Rob Shergold (30) and Richard Ashworth (46) kept the scoreboard ticking round as Paignton kept going.
Plympton suffered a shocking start with Andy Walter going in the first over then Mailling, Dan Robotham and Ollie Mulbery (29) all departing on the way to 44 for four.
The chase started in earnest wth Christian Bunney (52) and Hartslief, who put on 109 for the fifth wicket.
Connor Ashworth (2-41) struck twice in two overs to slow the chase, then Hartslief was run out by Hamza.
Enter Carr to steer Plympton to a win which puts them third in the table, just three points behind new leaders Bradninch.
Talking through the dramatic finale to the match, Carr said: “We didn't have the best of starts, but Chris Bunney and Wes Hartsleif batted brilliantly to get us back into the game.
“Then we lost three quick wickets and needed 70 off the last 10 overs.
“Matt Gregory and myself put on 71 and got the last over needing six to win.
“A couple of dots, then two singles and a two left two needed off last ball and I hit it for four,
“An all-round awesome match on the best pitch we have played on this season.”
Paignton captain Bryan isn’t going to let one narrow defeat defelct him from the business of winning promotion.
He said: We felt we were rather unlucky, although Plympton’s lower order batted extremely well towards the end of the game.
“A large proportion of our remaining games are at home and we intend to win them.
“As a team we feel we are more than capable of achieving this so I expect nothing less than that.”

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