Devon Cricket Board - Last is man of match in Narracott final

Last is man of match in Narracott final

SKIPPER Adam Last was a rightful Man of the Match as Torquay IIs swept to a six-wicket win over Barton IIs in Friday night’s Aaron Printers-sponsored Narracott Cup final at Paignton.

Torquay had feared a week-long delay in playing the game would cost them dearly - the first attempt to play the final was called off due to vandal damage to the pitch - as key players would be missing.

But those fears proved groundless as they bowled Barton out for 97 - Last taking four for 21 - then knocked off the runs with 11 balls of their 15 eight-ball overs to spare.

Last was there at the end, unbeaten on 15, to become a fitting first winner of the Ted Dickinson Memorial Cup.

The cup was introduced by the competition committee in memory of Ted, a former Torquay captain, chairman and president, who was a stalwart of the club for more than 65 years before his death in 2003.

Generous donations from Torquay and Babbacombe CCs covered the cost of the trophy, which replaced a previous Man of the Match cup which went missing some years ago. It was presented by Ted's nephew Robert, who only recently retired from playing at Torquay after a career lasting more than 30 years.

The top score in Barton's total was extras (27), which was an indication of how wayward some of Torquay's bowling was in the early stages.

Andy McVeigh claimed the wickets of ex-Torquay duo Ian Coulton - brilliantly caught by a tumbling Dave Bolland at square leg - and James Toms as Barton laboured to 45 for four.

Along the way they also lost Jack Porter and Jim Parker for a brace of ducks, both of them lasting three balls, and Mike Lievseley for one. Last picked up two of those wickets and Bolland the third.

Martin Powell (20) and Dave Cadwallader (21) hauled Barton out of the mire with a stand of 43 that pushed the score along to 88 for six.

When Cadwallader got out slogging it didn't take Last and Ben Mills (3-20) long to run through what was left of the batting.

Torquay got away to a flying start through openers Justin Yau (30) and Mike Wilkinson (14) and at 25 for one off three overs the writing was on the wall for Barton.

Lievesley and Porter slowed things briefly, but by the time Yau was out in the eighth over with the score on 56 it was all over bar the shouting.

McVeigh (20) looked like seeing it through with Last, but perished lbw with victory in sight.

Out came veteran Steve Craig for a cameo knock of 16 not out.

Barton 97 (D Cadwallader 21, M Powell 20; B Mills 3-20, A Last 4-21), Torquay 98-4 (J Yau 30, A McVeigh 20, S Craig 16no, A Last 15no). Torquay bt Barton by 6 wkts.

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