Devon Cricket Board - Roach ton puts Lewdown under more pressure

Roach ton puts Lewdown under more pressure

JOSH Roach slammed his second league ton of the season as Bideford defeated Lewdown by 56 runs
Roach, who had already taken a ton off Hatherleigh (130), kept on going to reach 161 in Bideford’s total of 337 all out.
The Aussie keeper-batter shared in stands of 68 for the first wicket with Dan Barratt (23), 68 with skipper James Ford – he made just eight – and 123 with Paul Heard (65).
Roach was fourth out in the 41^st over with the score on 270. He hit 20 fours and six sixes during a 125-ball stay.
Bowling relief was hard to find for Lewdown. Jack Williams three for 46 came in five overs while Leon Horn’s two for 89 was accrued in a 10-over spell.
Ben Williams (1-35) and Johann Wessells (2-44) bowled respectable spells.
Lewdown had to chase as their hopes of staying up depended on beating Bideford, who are resigned to going straight back down to the B Division.
The Williams brothers – Jack (64) and Ben (83) – put on 89 for the fifth wicket as the chase hotted up.
After Jack Williams fell at 183 Lewdown found it harder to keep up with the asking rate and they were all out for 281 in the last over.
Fred King had four for 49 and there were late wickets for Alex Hannam.
The 44-point gap between Bideford and safety means they are effectively relegated already. Defeat at Budleigh this Saturday will confirm it.
Lewdown have three games – Bradninch, Tavistock and Budleigh – in which to find the 28 points they need to get out of the bottom two.

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