Devon Cricket Board - A Division - Sandford eager for Premier return

SANDFORD skipper Simon Ashplant believes there is nothing to fear from a return to the Premier Division next season.

The Creedy Park side were relegated from the top flight last season with just four wins to their name, but have bounced straight back at the first attempt.

Saturday’s tied game at Plymstock – 13 points each – was enough to confirm Sandford as runners-up behind champs Heathcoat.

Asphlant was one of the younger players in last season’s side – and with an eye to the future replaced Matt Theedom as captain.

Ashplant, Ryan Glass and newcomer George Biggs have all flourished thanks to a season in the A Division and Ashplant believes Sandford can look forward to 2014 with confidence.

“We have only used 18 players in the 1st XI this season and all of them have done a job when needed,” said Ashplant.

“We are lucky to have players like Brian Leech in the 2nd XI, who can step up and get through their share of overs.

“It has helped having a good overseas player in Linton Terblanche, who has scored runs and taken wickets regularly.

“All the younger players have another year’s experience behind them going back to the Premier.

“I don’t think we will need to change a huge amount of things.

“It would be nice to have Adrian Small back next season, if he is finally over his injury problems.

“Adrian has scored thousands of Premier Division runs and having him back would be as good as having a new player.”

PLYMSTOCK suffered the agony of relegation by a one-run margin in their game against Sandford.

A nail-biter at Dean Cross ended tied at 188 each with nails chewed down to the knuckle in places.

One more run would have given Plymstock victory and five points which would have kept them out of the bottom two by a whisker.

It wasn’t to be though despite a brave effort by last pair James Nicholls and George Barnicott to pull the fat out of the fire.

Sandford were all out for 188 which was quite a turnaround after they had been 45 for five early on.

Linton Terblanche (52) and Sean Hawkins (29) got Sandford off the hook Dave Orchard (2-15) and Mark Abbott (2-27) had hung them on.

Nicholls (3-31) helped Plymstock to maximum bowling points once Jamie Palmer (36) had been cleared out.

Plymstock’s run chase seemed to be on course as Josh Hocken (43) whittled it away.

Scott Mansfield and Dan Robotjam (40) wiped off another 79 and everything in the garden looked rosy.

Terblanche (3-37) and Russ Discombe (3-38) bowled Sandford back into the game and wickets carried on tumbling.

Last man Barnicott went out to join Nicholls on 162 for nine with 27 needed and the pair very nearly did it,

Nicholls was on 43 not out at the other end with the scores level when Sandford skipper Simon Ashplant bowled Barnicott.

Hatherleigh’s last-day win over Braunton lifted them above Plymstock and out of the bottom two.

PLYMPTON slipped to a disappointing five-wicket defeat against champions-elect Heathcoat in their final game of the season.

Andy Walter top scored on 61 in a Plympton total of 206 for seven, which always looked a little below par at Harewood House.

Heathcoat knocked off the runs with more than10 overs to spare –Mitch Baker (44) the leading run getter.

Defeat cost Plympton third place in the final table as Paignton moved past them on the strength of a six wicket-win at Brixham.

Walter and John Fish (40) got Plympton going with a stand of 101, but on Ross Farrer (23) and Wes Hartslief (22) made any significant contributions after that.

Baker took three for 42 and Ned Menheneott two for 23.

Baker and Tom Frankpitt (42) built on the good start Sam Smith (36) gave Heathcoat as they went off in hot pursuit.

Barney Goss (26) and former Somerset paceman Steffan Jones (22) took Heathcoat to victory.

PAIGNTON secured a third-place finish in the A Division thanks to a six-wicket win in the derby date with Brixham.

In the final table Paignton were only 17 points behind Sandford in the second promotion slot, which isn’t much over a season.

Small margins make big differences though and Paignton lost three times in four meetings with champions Heathcoat and Sandford, which is one reason why they are not in the top two.

Brixham, who did enough to survive for another season, were bowled out for 132 with Connor Ashworth mopping up at the end with four for nine.

Kyke Schreuder made a top score of 43 for Brixham with Lee Upham best of the rest on 28.

There were two wickets each for George Benton and Chris Kelmere.

Paignton lost Ollie Higgs to Craig Eaves before the first over was out, then Upham accounted for Richard Ashworth and Kelmere in a running total of 24 for three.

A stand of 93 between Rob Shergold (57) and Connor Bryan (45) saw Paignton over the hump and they went on to win with more than 24 overs to go.

HATHERLEIGH defeated Braunton by 101 runs to ensure their survival in the A Division for another year.

Had Hatherleigh lost there was a danger of being sucked down with Braunton, who were already doomed.

Victory lifted Hatherleigh out of the bottom two at the expense of Plymstock, who tied with Sandford and went down instead.

Gareth Tidball biffed 132 and Ryan Davies 32 as Hatherleigh made 235 for nine despite the best efforts of Jon Baglow (3-39) and Taylor Latham (2-23) to slow them down/

Nick Rogers and Rob Fishleigh then took three wickets each as Braunton were dismissed for 134 in reply, Mark Mitchell top scoring on 27.

ABBOTSKERSWELL live to fight another day in the A Division after beating Barton by 14 runs to steer clear of the bottom two.

Three clubs – Plymstock and Hatherleigh – were the others - were in last-day danger of going down with Braunton.

Hatherleigh beat Braunton to get ahead of Plymstock, whose tied game with Sandford may have been dramatic, but meant they slipped into the bottom two.

Skipper Richard Acton (70) and Ryan Williams (53) came together at 14 for two and knocked up 128 for the third wicket as Abbots made 214 all out.

Adam Parker took the bowling laurels with three for 32.

Barton looked in good shape at 70 for two and with Steve Lewis making 40 and Husain Badat 38 they reached 149 for five on the chase.

The crucial passage of play saw wickets fall to Acton (2-27) and Williams (4-33) as 149 for five became 156 for nine.

Last men Tom Porter (26no) and Stuart Bowker (15) kept Abbots out while adding 44, the with the fourth bonus point bagged Williams broke the stand.

Eight points over the season is all that separated Abbots from disaster, not that Acton was dwelling on what might have been.

“I said at the start of the season our target was to finish third from bottom – so we have exceeded out expectations in a way,” said Acton.

“We know we need to find a few players and that is something we will look at over the winter.

“But what we have here is a good, largely young side with some older players such as Marcus Green, who are growing into an A Division side.

“I am pleased and relieved we stayed up as our youngsters need to be playing at the best level possible for their own development.”