Devon Cricket Board - Paignton growing as a team says Benton

Paignton growing as a team says Benton

PAIGNTON picked up a big win in their fight to stay clear of the bottom two when they defeated Plympton by 24 runs.
Plympton were promoted as runners-up behind Paignton this season and are stuck fast at the foot of the table without a win so far.
Paignton have been hovering just about the bottom two for a while and this win means they are now 32 points clear. More good news for the Queens Park outfit was that Exeter and Plymouth below them both lost.
Paignton were all out for 211 with eight balls remaining of their 50 overs – Chris Kelmere making a valuable 57 after coming in at 81 for six.
Plympton looked in good shape at 146 for four in reply, but once they lost David Wrench it all went pear-shaped and they declined t 187 all out in the penultimate over.
Tom Johnson (4-56) did most of the damage as Plympton reduced Paignton to 81 for six.
Opener Ollie Higgs (22) and Richard Ashworth (20) were the only batters to reach double figures.
Rob Shergold (32) was on four not out when Kelmere arrived in the middle and the two of them began the fightback.
A stand of 83 rescued the situation and when Dom Mulberry accounted for Shergold the home side were a healthy 164 for seven.
Kelmere went soon after to the returning Johnson. He had nit eight fours and a six in a 74-ball stay.
Paignton pride themselves on a long batting line-up and with tail-enders George Yates (26) and Stephen George (12) helping add 47 for the last three wickets a competitive total was on the board.
Devon’s Josh Mailling went cheaply to Yates (3-28), but Johnson (33) chipped away at the deficit then Duncan Hefford then Dan Robotham (40) did their bit.
When Wrench got out – caught George, bowled Connor Ashworth (2-19) - to end a marathon 80-ball stay – the balance of power began to shift.
Three wickets went for 11 runs as 146 for four became 157 for seven.
Acting captain Ross Farrer and Matt Gregory hung around for a while, but when Farrer was bowled by George the end wasn’t far away.
Opening bowler George Benton came back to fire out the last two Plympton batters to finish with two for 33.
“it was a great win especially as we have been on the end of a couple of losses.,” said acting captain Benton.
“We got ourselves into a couple of holes but dug ourselves out thanks to a great team effort.
“The lads are really starting to come into their own when needed at the right times.
“I honestly thought 212 was 30-40 runs short of what I wanted but again the lads defended that total brilliantly.
“It's starting to show that with such a young inexperienced team we can produce good results.”

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