Devon Cricket Board - A Division - Hatherleigh have work to do

HATHERLEIGH are in make-or-break territory now after losing by five wickets to Sandford.

Doomed Braunton (89pts) and Plymstock (123) are the teams below Hatherleigh (131) – both of whom they have to play in the last three games.

The first of those games is against Abbotskerswell, who are the next team up from Hatherleigh on 135 points.

“The crunch starts for us now with three massive games to finish the season,’ said skipper Mark Lake.

Hatherleigh only got as far as 135 for nine in all 50 overs against second-placed Sandford – Charlie Neilson making a top score of 37 – which was a major improvement on 31 for four after 18 overs.

Sandford skipper Simon Asplant (3-21) and Jamie Palmer (1-18) were early wicket takers before Rob Davies (21) and Rob Cockwill (10) halted the slide.

Davies, Cockwill and Rob Fisheleigh all went in a hurry as Hatherleigh slumped again, this time from 56 for four to 68 for seven with Matt Theedom (2-21) picking up a couple.

Neilson and super veteran Nick Rogers (23) batted out time to set some sort of total.

When Sandford were 31 for five in reply after 10 overs – Fishleigh (3-34) and Neilson (2-25) doing the damage – Hatherleigh must have felt they were on for a win.

After a break for rain the target came down to 125 to win and Sandford got there without further mishap thanks to Theedom and Ryan Glass.

Theedom made a patient 46 while Glass hit 49 off 57 balls as a stand of 95 unbroken won the game.

“We didn't get enough runs yet again, but bowled brilliantly to reduce them to 33 for fiveand dropped Glass and Theedom before the score was 50,” mused Lake.

“If we had taken those catches I think we would have won. But after that they batted well and punished every bad ball.”

IT’S looking like curtains for Braunton in the A Division after they went down by 114 runs at Abbotskerswell.

Abbots recovered from 108 for four to make 286 for eight – Ryan Williams plundering his first league ton of the season.

Williams hit 117 and Guy Harrison-Roberts made 60 in a fifth-wicket stand of 122.

There were three wickets for left-armer Jon Baglow (3-49) and two each for Matt Smith and Mark Mitchell.

Braunton laboured to 29 for four – Alfie Huxtable surviving to make 34 – recovered to 107 for five then faded to 172 all out. Baglow made 32 and Mitchell 29.

Williams had a grand day all-round with four for 38 and Richard Acton took two for 38.

If Braunton lose to promotion-chasers Plympton they will be relegated.

PLYMPTON remain tucked in behind the A Division top two ready for a late push for promotion after beating Brixham by eight wickets.

Somerset’s Lewis Gregory (3-27) and West Hartslief (3-23) put the skids under Brixham, who went from 52 for three for 66 for six and on to 90 all out.

Ryan Skinner (2-20) and Jamie Lee (2-12) did some of the mopping up.

Brixham had more extras (19) in the scorebook than runs from an individual batter. Simon Caunter made 17 and Kyle Schreuder 15.

Plympton used 32.2 overs to bowl out Brixham – and needed 14.4 to knock off the target.

Gregory went for 29, but Hartslief survived a close stumping call to make a match-winning 29.

Plympton (225pts) are still third, but gained three points second-placed Sandford (229) with three games to play.

Andy Walter, Plympton’s former captain and current opener, said the team couldn’t be better placed to press for promotion.

“We keep gaining a bit of ground every week and putting Sandford under as much pressure as we can,” said Walter.

“It won’t be easy getting past Sandford as two or our last three games are Paignton and Heathcoat, that’s after we go to Braunton this Saturday.

“It looks like Braunton are going down, but we have all seen the upsets sides can cause when the pressure is taken off them.

“Paignton at Paignton is always hard – not an easy place to go – and we have Heathcoat last game, who have been to virtually all season.”

PLYMSTOCK were going hell for leather on the chase against Paignton before rain washed out any further play at Dean Cross.

Chris Kelmere had top scored for Paignton with 82 off 52 balls in a sizeable total of 303 for five.

Ollie Higgs (30) and Mark Smith (53) got Paignton off to a 97-run start, then Richard Ashworth (46) and Kelmere floored the pedal to hoist 119 in just 11 and half overs.

George Barnicott (2-33) and James Nicholls (1-30) were the only Plymstock bowlers not to go for at least seven an over.

Dropping Kelmere twice before he reached 20 proved costly for Plymstock.

Plymstock were 159 for no wicket in the 36th over when rain stopped play.

Ollie Mulberry was 78 not out and Mark Abbott unbeaten on 64.

Run-rate said Plymstock needed 219 to be ahead on run rate when rain stopped play, so the result went against them.

Barnicott said while Plymstock were willing to go back out, he sensed Paignton were less than willing to bowl with a wet ball.

“We had 10 wickets in hand ready to have a go at the total when it started to drizzle,” said Barnicott.

“There were clear breaks in the cloud ready for a re-start before the 7.15pm cut-off point but Paignton dragged their feet making a restart impossible.

“To say we're disappointed is an understatement, and it’s really gutting that Olly and Mark batted so well and we get almost nothing from the game.

“The next two games we have against Brixham and Hatherleigh are our make-or-break games.

“If we win both we'll give ourselves a fighting chance of staying up.”

HEATHCOAT go into Saturday’s A Division title decider against arch rivals Sandford in winning form after seeing off Barton by 26 runs.

Skipper Sam Smith top scored for Heathcoat with 60 – and Jean Rossouw made a priceless 33 not out down the order – as Heathcoat totalled 179 for nine.

Barton were all out for 153 in reply – Paul Elliot mopping up at the end – as the visitors lost their lastr four wickets for just seven runs.

Victory leaves Heathcoat where they have been almost all season – top of the table – with a 17-point lead over second-placed Sandford.

Sandford are four points clear of Plympton, who are the only viable challenger left in the promotion race.

Barton gave Heathcoat a real run for their money and skipper Smith said a similar performance won’t wash against Sandford.

“We scraped home in a game where neither side played their best cricket,” said Smith.

“Our 180 was about 30 below par on a tricky wicket. Barton batted well in the middle overs and should have won it but we managed to break partnerships at keys times.

We will have to play better cricket to win at Sandford.”

Smith was out for 60 with the score on 92 for five after the Heathcoat middle order had done a disappearing act Paul Daniels would have been proud of.

Mitch Baker, Tom Frankpitt, Justin Williams, Smith and Jack Meneheneitt went for nine runs added as Adam Parker (2-20) and Hasan Badat (4-21) got stuck in.

Ned Menheneott (17) slowed the slide then Jason Parr (10) and Rossouw got something resembling a defendable total on the board.

Barton were always up the asking rate thanks to knocks of 26 from Shaun Needham, 22 by Tom Drake and 29 from Steve Lewis.

Indeed, at 146 for six in the 38^th over with Lewis still in residence the visitors were the most likely winners.

Elliott returned for a second spell to nip out Lewis, then Parr accounted for Andy McVeigh (17) and the slide was on in earnest.

Three overs was all it took for Heathcoat to knock over the tail.