Devon Cricket Board - 'Brainless' Budleigh have to smarten up says Murphy

BUDLEIGH Salterton skipper Joel Murphy said is side’s slide down the table is nothing to panic about as there is plenty of time to reverse it.
Budleigh have gone from joint top to fourth from bottom thanks to three successive defeats. They don’t want a fourth at Murphy’ last club Bradninch tomorrow.
Promotion back to the Premier at the first attempt was the agreed target at Ottermouth this season. With one or two tweaks it can be achieved.
“Everyone can beat everyone, with the possible exception of Chudleigh, and points wise we are only 26 off second place,” said Murphy.
“We will be back up there if we can put one or two things right in the next week or so.
“Consistency of selection has been an issue with schools, exams and even the odd injury getting in the way.
“We have not put the same side out two weeks running, which isn’t helping us peform at our best.
“One or two senior players are due the big performance they are capable of.
“Generally, we have to bat better. Our batting at Abbots was brainless at times – and not for the first time this season either.
“We can do better than that – and have to if we want to make anything of our season.”
ABBOTSKERSWELL, now 30 points clear of the drop zone after beating Bradninch, are away to Brixham.
“Abbots show only one change this week with Tom Andrew coming in after good performances in the 2nd XI.
We are looking to make it three wins on the bounce, which would put us in a great position going into the second half of the season.
“The team is full of confidence after last weeks win, so we've got a great chance against Brixham.”
Brixham, who are fifth by only seven points off second after beating Lewdown, have injury doubts over Mark Orchard (hamstring).
Craig Eaves is in for Andrew Lewin, who is on holiday.
HATHERLEIGH are hoping to drag Lewdown into the relegation mix when the two sides meet at Holsworthy Road.
A win at Chudleigh last time out moved Hatherleigh a little closer to safety – and their next target is to get ahead of Lewdown.
“This is a massive opportunity for us to get back-to-back wins and drag Lewdown further down the table,” said Hatherleigh captain Mark Lake, who leads an unchanged side.
“The lads are confident after last Saturday and we can build on that success with another victory.
“We know where the main danger is in their team – Marco Maraos - and will do everything to try and get him out as cheaply as possible.
“We know they have some other useful cricketers, but the key to them winning games seems to be whether Marco scores any runs.”
Lewdown put out a depleted team against Brixham and skipper Harry Geering has warned Lake not to place much store in that game.
“Ben Williams, Jack Williams, Phil Yeo, Dave Ball and Ant Weeks are all back so it’s definitely time to re-kick start our season after two bad losses with weakened teams,” said Geering.
“There will be no excuses this week, and I’m fully expecting a big result.
“However, you never can tell in derby games and we know Hatherleigh have a lot of players who can do damage so we will need to be at our best.”
Geering said there were positives in the wreckage of the loss to Brixham.
“Young Leon Horn gained a bit more experience, Tom Pengelly showed how he has improved with bat and ball and Tom Pearce, who started the year in the thirds, hit a good 67.
PLYMPTON captain James Carr has been quick to play down any sense of complacency going into the home game against Chudleigh.
While Chudleigh were losing to Hatherleigh last time out and staying rooted to the bottom of the table, Plympton were winning off the last ball away to leaders Paignton to go third.
Carr is conscious there is the danger of taking a win for granted, but he says Plympton can’t afford to think like that.
“We won’t be taking Chudleigh lightly as they haven't been beaten badly by anyone in our division,” said Carr.
“Chudleigh look like they have completed in most games and they wouldn’t be in the A if they weren't good enough as there are plenty of good teams down in the B.
“We need to finish the first half of the season on a high after getting ourselves into an excellent position to push on in the second half by beating Paignton in an awesome match.
“That was four on the bounce and our aim is to make it five this Saturday.
“I'm very happy with how we are playing now, the batting line up is firing and I think that's down to having a settled line up and people knowing where they are batting and their job.
Our bowling and fielding is taking care of itself. Last Saturday was our worst fielding performance so we need to get that back to the standard we have set.”
Ross Farrer and Ryan Skinner are away – work and Glastonbury respectively – so Dave Wrench and Craig Donohue come in.
PAIGNTON and Barton will be sick of the sight of each other after this weekend as they play twice.
It’s Barton against Paignton at Cricketfield Road in the league tomorrow – and the other way round on Sunday in the quarter-finals of the Tolchards Devon Cup.
Paignton are without holidaying skipper Connor Bryan so Chris Kelmere junior leads the side.