Devon Cricket Board - B Division - Shobrooke emerging from doldrums

SHOBROOKE Park captain Justin Dollow believes his side are finally emerging from two years in the doldrums after posting back-to-back wins over Ivybridge and Alphington.

The past couple of seasons have not been kind to Shobrooke as they had only won five games combined in them before beating Ivybridge.

Dollow has believed for a while his side had a mental block about winning matches, which now seems to be clearing.

“I have thought of it as a sort of hangover from the past two seasons when the team barely won a game,” said Dollow.

“It didn’t help that our first two games were against two of the strongest teams in the division in Lewdown and Chudleigh.

“I hope beating Ivybridge and now Alphngton will give us the confidence to go forward to keep our winning run going.”

Alphington posted a respectable 203 for eight with Alvin Pollard hitting a top score of 53.

Acting captain Dave Haysom dropped himself down the order to get Matt Taylor in early and chipped in with 31 not out at the end.

There were two wickets each for Dollow and Ben Trenaman.

Shobrooke wobbled at the start – they were 20 for two – but Jon James got them on the straight and narrow with a patient 53.

When James went the chase passed to Richard Pyle (50no) and Phil Anning (49no), whose century stand wrapped up victory.

THORVERTON got back to winning ways after their defeat at Chudleigh with a 114-run victory over Barnstaple & Pilton.

Paul Fielder smote a top score of 60 as Thors made 222 for nine in their 45 overs.

There were three wickets each for Will Denford and Luke Boyadijian as B&P were skittled out for 108 in reply.

Victory leaves Thoverton exactly halfway up the table going into this Saturday’s meeting with struggling Stoke Gabriel.

Thorverton have been a bit hit and miss this season, but skipper James Hope said most elements of their game came together nicely against Barnstaple.

“There were some good foundations built up front in our innings and this allowed our very long batting line-up to push us up to over 200,” said Hope.

“We bowled a lot tighter up front with the new ball and that allowed our spinners to get through their overs quickly. Then wickets fell regularly as the pressure built up.”

Fielder was third out on 116 having already seen Nick Barton (21) back into the hutch.

Graham White (33) and Gillam Crouch (23) kept the runs coming.

Pick of the bowling for B&P with four for 32 was Jack Popham.

Barnstaple went from 30 for none to 40 for three and kept slithering to 86 for six on their way to 108 all out. Only George McEndoo (38) survived long.

Denford (3-27), Boyadijian (3-28) were backed up by Jake Choules (2-10) in the job of bowling B&P out.

CHUDLEIGH go into their top-of-the-table clash against Lewdown in confident mood after a seven-wicket win over South Devon installed them as new leaders in the B Division.

Lewdown were top of the shop until last Saturday, but dropped down to third after losing their derby date with Tavistock.

South Devon are having a torrid time of it right now owing to a diminished senior squad and struggled to 146 all out in the last of their 45 overs.

Opener Henry Burningham hit a top score of 65 off 76 balls, but there wasn’t a lot from the rest.

Jack Thomas and Sean Day got stuck into the middle order as South Devon dipped from 111 for two to 126 for seven and from there is was a short stumble to 146 all out.

Thomas – who left Bovey Tracey for Chudleigh in the winter – finished with four for 14 and there were two wickets each for Day and Rob Clarke.

Ed Foreman has been the man in form for Chudleigh this season, but had a rare lapse as he was bowled by Jonty Parsons for 13.

Scott Schaw got on with it to make 75 not out with nine fours and four sixes and his stands with Day, Matt Heather and Dan Britcliffe saw Chudleigh home with more than 17 overs to spare.

Skipper Jon Martin said Chudleigh had found a new way of winning and he was more than pleased with it.

“For the first game this year we didn't take early wickets, but we kept chipping away and once we got a couple of crucial wickets the rest just followed,” said Martin.

“Young Jack Thomas headed the tally with four, which goes to show the strength in depth we have.

Batting wise we chased down 150 easily with overs left with overseas Scott Schaw finally getting used to the conditions with 70 not out.”

Chudleigh are seven points clear of Tavistock at the top of the table while South Devon remain winless and one off the bottom going into the trip to Ivybridge this Saturday.

LEWDOWN surrendered their unbeaten record when they crashed to a 90-run defeat against Tavistock in the Moorland derby.

Dave Manning followed his ton against South Devon with another 87 as Tavvy made 229 for nine. Shan Daymond had 711.

Daymond then took four for 33 as Lewdown were bowled out for 139 in reply.

Stoke Gabriel’s losing streak shows no signs of ending as they were 45-run losers against Ivybridge.

Kelvin Trent was last man out for 99 in an Ivybridge total of 234 for four. Along the way he shared in a stand of 173 with Kevin Jacobs (76).

New signing Richard Lake who moved to Stoke from Bovey Tracey last week took two for 18 in nine tidy overs.

Stoke lost their way in the last 10 overs having been up around the asking rate before then thanks to Steve Tolley (42) and Josh Dowling (21).

Dave Bolland kept on end going for 50, but lacked backing at the other as Stoke slowed from 114 for four after 30 overs to 186 for nine in the full 45.

Jamie Bullock, Harry Solomon and Jeewan deSilva had two wickets each for the Bridge.