Devon Cricket Board - C Division - South Devon and Pens neck-and-neck at top

SOUTH Devon were given a tougher test than expected by doomed Kingsbridge, who took them to the last over before losing by five wickets.
South Devon could be promoted this Saturday if they win against Shaldon and Alphington lose to Ottery St Mary, leaving a likely last-day title decider with Ipplepen to look forward to if both sides keep winning.
But South Devon can take nothing for granted following the manner of their win at the Butts.
Kingsbridge were reduced to 55 for five – Neil Maud (2-35) and Sean Day (2-19) among the wickets – but recovered to make 189 for eight,
The repair work was done by Will Matthewman (49) and Will Pyke (46) in stand of 101 for the sixth wicket. A whopping 61 in extras helped!
South Devon started well with Dave Knowles (30) showing the way with Jonty Parsons (26), but struggled mid-innings against James Westlake (3-41) and Bhanu deSilva (2-13).
The target came down to 18 off the last three overs, which South Devon got with five balls to go.
Day, who went in at 53 for one, batted through for an unbeaten 68 not out to wrap up the win.
Ali Wright, the South Devon captain, admitted it wasn’t his side’s best display of the season but added they had the depth to get through.
“We didn't help ourselves by throwing away 61 extras, which was uncharacteristic given how well we've bowled and fielded this year,” said Wright.
“Jonty Parsons and Dave Knowles got us off to a good start, and Daisy held the whole innings together really well with a well-crafted 68.
“We got a little bogged down in the final third, which made it a bit close for comfort, but Jon Martin and Daisy finished it off.”
IPPLEPEN are neck and neck with South Devon at the top of the C Divison table after they administered a 101-run hiding to neighbours Dartington & Totnes.
Jack Lewis top scored with 75 for the Pens, who finished with 236 for nine despite the best efforts of Will Gornall (3-48) and Ben Hartidge (3-29) to keep them in check.
Lewis and Joe Abbott (42) put on 74 for Pens’ fourth wicket.
Dartington & Totnes were bowled out for 135 in reply – Matt Nicholls (4-19) doing most of the damage, aided and abeted by skipper Keith Wakeham (3-24) and Caleb Gaylard (2-15).
Darts had been 99 for three and in the hunt at one stage - Kevan Throgmorton (38) and Liam Blyth (21) providing the impetus – but faded away.
CLYST Hydon’s winning run in the C Division continued with an 89-run victory over Chagford to make it three on the trot.
Dhanuja Haturusingha was dropped three times – on four, 16 and 21 – on his way to a top score of 62 for Clyst in a total of 191 for eight.
Hydon were 108 for six at one stage – Ian Sutton (26) and Chris Holmes (32) having been and gone – and glad that Haturusingha had some luck.
Chagford’s leading wicket takers were Nigel Letheren (3-21) and Steve Sizmur (2-27).
Chagford were always up against it after slumping to five for four – all four wickets falling on five – so 70 for six was an improvement.
Charles Fittzroy batted through for an unbeaten 51, but no one else stayed long.
Haturusingha (4-13) and Oz Bezley (2-17) did the bowling damage.
Skipper Sutton was pleased with another win, but less pleased by his side’s batting.
“It was another good performance, and we're making winning a habit at the moment,” said Sutton.
“We've got a few issues to address with the batting as once again the middle order had to bale out the top order.
“Another great knock from Dhanno and a good partnership with Oz Besley at number nine saw us through to a decent total on a slow wicket.
“As for the bowling, everyone I called on bowled well and the fielding and catching was very strong.”
Clyst entertain relegation-doomed Kingsbridge this Saturday.
OTTERY St Mary got their revenge on Shaldon for a 13-run defeat earlier in the season with an emphatic 141-run victory in the rematch.
Shaldon have had a sticky patch since they beat Ottery – in fact they have not won a game since!
The tone for the afternoon was set by Ottery opener Lewis Townsend and Billy Rudolph, who reeled off 171 for the first wicket.
Rudolph eventually went for 76, but there was no respite for Shaldon as Billy Reed (36) shared in a stand of 81 for the second wicket with skipper Townsend.
Townsend finished on a carrer-best score of 113 in an Ottery total of 327 for six. Rob Crabbe (43) helped the score along.
Mark Couch (2-56) had Shaldon’s best bowling figures. Seamus McKenna – two for 79 of eight – took a bit of tap.
Otter didn’t win as easily it might seem as Shaldon had them a little wary at 150 for four at halfway.
James Fulner had made 54 and Carl Woolnough 46 off 26 balls, helped by five sixes.
Alex Thurgate (4-11) and Matt Reed (3-50) put the skids under Shaldon as they lost six wickets in nine overs on their way to 196 all out.
ALPHINGTON remain on course for third-place in the C Division after cruising to a six-wicket win over doomed Plymouth CS&R.
Civil got to 167 all out with a couple of overs to go – Dan Sanders top scoring on 51.
Stuart Shaw and Tom Bath took three wickets each, and there were a couple for Ben Newcombe, as Civil faded.
As Civil had been 152 for six at one stage, Alphington expected to be chasing more than 168.
Dave Haysom hit 38, Bath 30 and Mike Shepherd finished things off with 58 not out as Alphas cruised home with more than 20 overs to spare.