Devon Cricket Board - Torquay closing in on first title since 1997

Torquay closing in on first title since 1997

TORQUAY are potentially one win away from their first Premier Division title since 1997 after beating North Devon by 49 runs.
North Devon were one of the three clubs lined up behind Torquay at the top of the table with a realistic chance of catching them in the last six games.
Saturday’s defeat means North Devon are 34 points behind with five games to go and almost out of the running.
Bovey Tracey, the second of the chasers, obligingly lost to Exeter by 79 runs, which relegates them to a distant fourth some 41 points behind.
The only side left in the running now are defending champions Sidmouth, who stay second after beating Paignton by nine runs in a high-scoring affair on the Fortfield.
Torquay’s lead over Sidmouth is 13 points, which could be wiped out by one defeat.
Sidmouth visit Torquay this Saturday with the Premier title effectively on the line.
A Torquay win would give them a lead of around 28 points with four games to go. It is hard to see them losing enough times in their remaining games – Paignton, Exmouth, Bovey and Plympton – to let the Premier crown slip through their fingers.
North Devon made Torquay work hard for a total of 200 for nine in 50 overs.
Opener Mitch Pugh made 25 of the first 41 on the board and Matt Thompson chipped in 21 before he was fourth out at 77.
The important partnership for Torquay was one worth 80 for the sixth wicket between Ryan Stevenson (49) and Joe Thompson (45).
Stevenson was out first, but Thompson kept going until Josh King (3-43) got him five over out.
Ricky Kelly (1-22), Tom Allin (1-20) and Jack Hockin (2-19) all bowled tidy spells for North Devon.
North Devon were all out for 151 in reply which will disappoint skipper Barney Huxtable no end.
Teenage paceman Kazi Szymanski (4-33) got into the early order a North Devon struggled to 108 for six.
Tom Ansell (46) and Max Curtis (24) were the only batters to linger long.
Allin (23) and King (24) started something of a fightback with a stand of 39 and at 147 for six with 12 overs to go it was game on.
Then Allin fell to Bertus Loots and North Devon collapsed in his wake.
Loots took three for 33 in 18 balls as North Devon’s last four wickets went for a run each.
Petherbridge (2-16) retuned at the end to finish off tail-ender Hockin.

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