Devon Cricket Board - Plympton in danger of being cast adrift at bottom

Plympton in danger of being cast adrift at bottom

PLYMPTON are now 27 points adrift at the foot of the Premier Division table after crashing to an eight-wicket defeat at North Devon.
That’s four defeats on the spin now for newly promoted Plympton, who have yet to win a game this season.
The absence of all-rounder Josh Mailling didn’t help – he was serving a one-match DCB ban for a show of dissent in a T20 game - as he has been in form in recent matches.
Owen Gannon top scored for Plympton with 40 and Tom Johnson made 38 in a total of 148 all out.
Openers Johnson and Ollie Mulberry put on 55, which was promising, only for five wickets to go for 17 runs as Tom Allin (4-26) and Matt Dart (3-26) got into the early order.
Gannon and skipper Jamie Carr halted the slide briefly, but a mini-slide reduced Plympton to 95 for seven.
Gannon dug in and added 53 for the eighth wicket with Dom Mulberry to make the scoreline respectable.
North Devon made a 45-run start through openers Barney Huxtable (18) and Callum French, broken by Johnson who snared Huxtable lbw.
French (57) and Devon’s Max Curtis (62no) wrapped the game up during a partnership worth 95 for the second wicket.
Whem Carr removed French the target was eight to win, most of which were knocked of buy Quintin Dreyer.
For North Devon it was a respectable win, although skipper Huxtable knows there are tougher tests to come.
“It was a good win for us, but lots still to improve on though,” said Huxtable.
“During the first 10 overs we struggled to control the new ball and bowled two sides of the wicket again with one or two bad balls an over.
Huxtable said Allin’s spell turned things round and was backed up well by Josh King and Dart, who used the Instow wind well.
“When Jack Popham came back into the attack for his second spell he bowled serious pace and was just too quick on a hard, flat track for most batsmen,” said Huxtable.
Huxtable said he was happy with the start North Devon got when they batted and praised Curtis and French for their role in the win.
“Max went in and batted as well as he has done all year backing up French nicely. Callum batted very well for his 50, just waiting for the bad ball,” said Huxtable.
“It was a good 20 points for us and a nice confidence boost after last week’s defeat and gives us good momentum going into a big game against Exeter.
“Exeter have got players in their side that if they come off they will beat any side in this division.
“We will need to be at the top of our game which we aren't to far off at the moment.”

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