Devon Cricket Board - Torquay emerge as early leaders in A Div

A DIVISION

TORQUAY are top of the shop in the A Division after beating Braunton by six wickets at Kelsey.

Jon Rice scythed through the Braunton batting on his way to a seven for 53 haul as the home side were bowled out for 118.

The demolition job was finished off by Nick Watkin (44no) and skipper Justin Yau (34) as Torquay knocked off the runs with 30 overs to spare.

Victory hoists Torquay two points ahead of Sandford, who beat Shobrooke Park in the mid-Devon derby.

Top of the pile is where promotion-chasing Torquay want to be, not that Yau is getting too carried away just yet.

“The last time we were top of the table two games into the season we ended up getting relegated from the Premier Division, said Yau.

“There are 16 games to go and a lot can change in that time. There will be situation when the chips are down and we need to pull through.

“Mind you, I could not have asked for a better start. Every single player has the bit between his teeth this year and the whole mentality is a lot more positive.

“It is important we keep this momentum going against Brixham this Saturday as they have settled very nicely into the A Division.”

Yau said there was a mental toughness about the side, which shone though just when the chase could have wobbled.

“Nick Watkin batted brilliantly when we were in a stick situation at 22 for three –and Mawgan Penrice showed great composure for a 16 year-old when he came in at six and batted through to finish the game off.”

Rice, whose bowling was described as ‘exceptional’ by Yau accounted for Andy Paddison and Aussie run machine Stuart Rhodes to derail Braunton’s previously promising start.

Jas Kalsy hung around to make a top score of 43.

Torquay had a bit of a wobble themselves at one for one and three for two with Devon’s Matt Thompson among the casualties.

Yau and Watkin put on 68, leaving Penrice to wrap it up with Watkin.

BARTON took the thick end of a draw off Alphington, who blocked out the final eight overs after realising they couldn’t win.

Losing opener Damon Calland to the first ball of the game did Barton no favours, Will Grainger repaired the damage by hitting a top score of 79 off 67 balls. Tom Drake made 32.

At 122 for two Barton were well placed, but the middle order didn’t fire quite as planned.

Alphington skipper Stuart Shaw mixed his bowling up nicely to take five Barton wickets for 40 runs.

Nathan Caton-Robinson, who got out Calland, finished with three for 31.

Alphinton found the Barton bowling hard to get away and only had 50 on the board after 28 overs.

Adam Buckland (2-32), Calland (3-25) and Tom Porter (2-6) all kept it tight.

Alphington were still in with a chance while Matthew Taylor batted on, so Barton were glad to get him out for 45 at 120.

Then it was time to shut up shop with Alphington taking no chances reaching 142 for eight.

SANDFORD came out on top by six wickets in the eagerly awaited derby clash with Shobrooke Park.

The two sides had not met before in the Devon League, having always been in different divisions until this season.

Shobrooke’s total of 136 for nine was not quite enough to bother Sandford unduly, although it was no stroll in the park either.

“It might have been low scoring, but it was a good game to play in,” said beaten Shobrooke skipper Chris Ford.

“We underperformed with the bat and I genuinely believe another 30 or 40 runs would have made all the difference.

“It certainly would have been a much closer game, and with what batting they had to come it would only have taken another wicket or two to put the pressure on them.”

Sandford captain Matt Theedom clearly wasn’t at the same game as Ford if his comments are anything to go by.

“We bowled and fielded as well as I can recall – the ball was swinging for Binns and Palmer - and that’s probably what won it for us.

“Russell Discombe batted really well for his 45 and put us in a very strong position chasing.

“We won it with 18 overs to spare, which was a lot more than I was expecting.”

Ford with 35 rescued Shobrooke from 27 for three after early problems against Jamie palmer (3-15). Simon Ashplant had four for 50 lower down.

Discombe saw off the early threat from Ben Stockdon (1-33) and Ben Trenaman (1-15), then handed over to Mike Durrand (32no) on the last lap.

ALPHINGTON blocked out the final eight overs for a draw at Barton after realising they couldn’t win.

Losing opener Damon Calland to the first ball of the game did Barton no favours, Will Grainger repaired the damage by hitting a top score of 79 off 67 balls. Tom Drake made 32.

At 122 for two Barton were well placed, but the middle order didn’t fire quite as planned.

Alphington skipper Stuart Shaw mixed his bowling up nicely to take five Barton wickets for 40 runs.

Nathan Caton-Robinson, who got out Calland, finished with three for 31.

Alphinton found the Barton bowling hard to get away and only had 50 on the board after 28 overs.

Adam Buckland (2-32), Calland (3-25) and Tom Porter (2-6) all kept it tight.

Alphington were still in with a chance while Matthew Taylor batted on, so Barton were glad to get him out for 45 at 120.

“He looked absolute quality and I am expecting big things of Matthew this season,” said Shaw of his new signing.

With Taylor gone it was time to shut up shop with Alphington taking no chances reaching 142 for eight.

MILES Lenygon hammered a debut century as Exeter batted Brixham out of the game, then found they could not get them out.

Lenygon, a midweek capture from Exmouth, stroked 130 in the city sides total of 308 for seven.

Lenygon smashed 23 fours and shared in stands of 75 with Alex Bosomworth and 69 for the third wicket with Callum Still (28).

Getting Lenygon out did little to stem the flow of runs as Adam Smith made 52 not out and Mat Medway 29.

Mark Gilmour took three for 60 and Lee Upham two for 38.

Brixham replied with 226 for six, anchored by Aussie Anthony Marr with 76.

Marrr, who hit 11 fours and two sixes, was involved in a partnership worth 119 for the fourth wicket with skipper Chris Lanyon.

Lanyon, put down behind to a difficult chance, made 46 with five boundaries.

With 200 to win needed off the last 20 overs a draw always seemed on the cards. Adam Gribble – two for 31 from 11 overs – kept the pressure on for Exeter.

Mark Orchard was unbeaten on 26 in Brixham’s 50-over total of 226 for six.

“All in all a much better performance all-round than Braunton in our first game,” said Exeter skipper Jon Tipper.

“Miles batted superbly well and looks like a real find for us. He is a decent first-change bowler as well, which is like having two new players.

“Bowling them out was always going to be difficult as it was a good track down there and if you wanted to stick around you could.

“Lanyon and Marr batted well for them. There wasn’t much we could have done differently to change the result, although getting Lanyon when we had a difficult chance might have done something.”