Devon Cricket Board - Sidmouth skipper Murray refuses to concede title to Torquay yet

Sidmouth skipper Murray refuses to concede title to Torquay yet

NO surrender! Sidmouth captain Will Murray refuses to concede the Premier Division title to leaders Torquay despite losing to the pretenders to their crown.
Sidmouth entertain Heathcoat this Saturday with 28-point gap between them and Torquay after losing by 106 runs at the Rec Ground last time out.
With 80 points to play for there is a mathematical chance Sidmouth can still catch Torquay, but they need some favours.
Murray (pictured) said as long as there is something to play for, he won’t give up.
“Torquay still have Bovey Tracey and Exmouth to play – both games which could trip them up,” said Murray.
“Also, you don’t know what the situation with Ryan Stevenson will be for the rest of the season now Hampshire have got hold of him.
“It wasn’t Max Waller’s 74 for Torquay that beat us, but Ryan’s first seven overs for seven runs when we batted.
“Had Matt Cooke not wafted one through the slips for four, it would have been seven overs for three runs.
“We were behind the eight-ball after that early spell from Ryan and never truly got over it.
“Torquay have a number of fine players, but they would miss Ryan badly if he wasn’t there.”
Murray has one selection issue for Saturday: the fitness of former Heathcoat captain Liam Lewis.
Lewis suffered a bruised thumb playing for Devon against Dorset on Monday and hopes the swelling will subside for him to play without too much pain.
For Heathcoat there is some pressure to pull off a win to arrest their slide down the table.
Defeat by three wickets to Bovey Tracey last time out – Brad Barnes making 80 in a losing cause - left Heathcoat just 21 points clear of the drop zone.
After Sidmouth they play Paignton, Exeter and Plymouth – the three teams immediately below them. Each one is a 40-pointer and defeats costly.
It could easily become an anxious final month of the season for Heathcoat, a point not lost on vice-captain Toby Lochead.
“We have been dragged back into a relegation battle, which simply isn't good enough,” said Lochead.
“It's these last four games when we need to show some fight and passion for the club and support Brad because he is doing it on his own.
“Bovey are a good side but their bowling attack isn't to be feared, but they bowled well on a poor wicket.
“Our 149 was never going to be enough, and although we took seven wickets, it's the batsman who let us down again.
“We have nothing to lose against Sidmouth - and the last three games against teams below us will show how much we want to be in this division by our performances in those games.”

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