Devon Cricket Board - A Division - Mission accomplished for Corns

EXETER won’t be wasting much time planning for the Premier Division after wrapping up their A Division championship-winning campaign with a dour draw against Cornwood.

Two year after the crashed out of the top flight with only three wins to their name, Exeter have been promoted as uneaten A Division champions.

Exeter have barely put a foot wrong this season – their only defeat was by Premier side Bovey Tracey in the Devon Cup semi-finals – and can’t wait for the new season to start.

Promotion-winning captain Jon Tipper, the only regular member of the side that won the Premier title back in 2000 still playing, is already team building for 2013.

“I think we are two players away from having a side which can really compete with the best in the Premier Division,” said Tipper.

“We are going to need a spin bowler to replace Callum Still, who is going back to Australia after two awesome seasons with us, and also a genuinely fast bowler to shake ip the opposition,

“The other thing we need to do is get our overseas player sorted out early. Too often we have left it late and not got the sort of player we wanted.

“Other than that I am very happy with the depth of talent at the club and our real strength throughout.

“We won our division, the 2^nd X were runners up in theirs and the 3^rd XI also won promotion as champions.

“The County Ground has a good feeling about these days.”

Exeter just missed out on promotion last season as Sandford pipped them for the runners-up spot behind Torquay.

Tipper said the big difference between the two campaigns was consistency of selection.

“Last season we used more than 30 players in the 1^st XI. This year we had 16-17 players all of 1^st XI standard and were able to pick from them most weeks.”

Exeter were already up as champions going into the match, while Cornwood needed three points to be 100 per cent certain Paignton could not catch them for second place.

Those points were secured in bowling bonuses by holding Exeter to 178 for nine – spinner Elliott Staddon getting all of them in his return of six for 65.

Exeter’t total was constructed around one sizeable stand between Mike Wilkinson (39) and Miles Lenygon (24), who put on 63. Cameron Grainger weighed in with 46.

Cornwood lost two early wickets to Exeter seamer Andy Mead (2-33) and had seen Ryan Rickard (32) go to Callum Still in a running total of 64 for four.

Mark Horwell (46no) and Ben Warren (21no) took no risks in a stand of exactly 60 that took the Corns to 134 for four when their overs ran out.

For skipper Craig Harris it was a case of mission accomplished, despite one or two glitches along the way.

“In the warm up we lost Adam Goodliffe to an injury, which meant we had to rush another player up from our 4th XI game nearby, so all plans we had were changed around before we even got going, said Harris.

“We restricted Exeter well and I was glad for the opportunity to give a few people more involvement, especially against a team that have been at the top all year.

“We executed our disciplines well and with some key players missing left ourselves a good target.

“We set chasing well, but got bogged down in the middle over swhen some others would have kicked on.

“The application of people to stay in and bat time is something that has been missing in seasons gone, so it was equally pleasing to see someone willing to get stuck in.”

Looking ahead, Harris said: “We know Premier cricket will be a challenge, but we are up for it and entitled to celebrate what we have done this year.

“The club is moving forward year on year and its fantastic to be a part of.”

WHILE Cornwood celebrate promotion, Plympton are happy to stay where they are for another season.

Plympton ended their campaign with a two-wicket win over relegated South Devon in a game with nothing on it for either side.

Vice-captain David Wrench, in charge as skipper Andy Walter was not available, said fourth in the final table was respectable and something to build on.

“Good luck to Cornwood on getting to the Premier, butt is clear we are not ready for that step yet,” said Wrench.

“Had we been promoted it probably would have the worst thing that could have happened to us.

“Another season in the A Division will allow our young players to get some more experience under their belts. When we go back up, we want to be properly prepared.”

South Devon made 188 all out in the 47th of their 50 overs – opener Henry Burningham belting a quick fire 73.

With Tom Carter (21) and Ali Wright (23) chipping in, South Devon were an impressive 100 for three before the tide started to turn against hem.

Josh Mailling (3-41) was replaced in the attack by Ben Vince (3-56) and Matt Draper (2-18), who had been promoted from the 2nd and 3rd XIs respectively.

Only Adrian Hewings (21no) made many as the last five wickets went for 23 runs.

Plympton’s batters felt free to play their shots, which allowed Dave Knowles (6-65) to cash in again and again.

Ross Farrer (25), Mailling (33) and Wrench (42) all chipped in before Duncan Hefford (40no) wrapped things up.

So it is back to the B Division for South Devon a year after promotion as runners-up behind Plymstock.

Skipper Hewings has already informed the committee he is standing down and his successor will have a job on his hands rebuilding the playing side of a club that has struggled for numbers due to persistent availability problems.

PLYMSTOCK won by 71 runs at Shobrooke Park to send the mid-Devon side tumbling into the B Division again next season.

Dave Orchard’s side knew they were safe going into the game, but Shobrooke had to win if they were going to stand any chance of overhauling Braunton and staying up.

As Braunton defeated Paignton by three wickets the result was academic anyway and Shobrooke drop back two years after they arrived.

Plymstock totalled 176 for six in 50 overs – Dan Robotham’s late-season form continuing with a top score of 44.

Robotham and Matt Reynolds (35) put on 70, then Orchard (30) and Callum Cload (33) notched 50 for the fifth wicket after a mini slump to 93 for four. Justin Dollow (3-40) was the leading wicket taker.

Only Eric Parmakellis (32) showed much stickability as Shobrooke were all out for 105 in reply.

Richard Pyle hit three successive fours then got out to Hallam Kerton, who turned the game with three quick wickets on his way to four for 13. Orchard bagged two for 21 as the slide continued.

Plymstock finished fifth in the final table, hard behind Plympton, which was highly satisfying for skipper Orchard.

“Our target was to stay up after promotion and sixth was beyond our initial expectations,” said Orchard.

PAIGNTON’S season ended on a low note when they were turned over by three wickets at Braunton.

Braunton were playing for survival and had more incentive to win than Paignton, who had already blown their promotion prospects.

Seb Benton’s run-filled summer continued with 96 in a total of 221 all out.

Benton got out at 160 for four, just four runs short of what would have been his fifth league century of a soggy season.

The only other score of any significance was Chris Kelnere’s 26.

Braunton brought former Somerset and England player Mark Lathwell up from the 2^nd XI to bolster their bowling attack – he prefers to play with sons Sam and Jason these days – and he took three for 26.

With Jas Kalsi (88), Ian Roberts (26) and Andy Paddison (22) among the runs, it looked like a cakewalk for Braunton as they sauntered to 209 for four. It was a different story at 212 for seven though and Braunton were glad of Alex Hodges (11no) and Dan Bratcher (0no) for seeing them home.

Paignton, who were second going into the last five matches, finished fifth in the table 19 points behind Cornwood in the second promotion place.

Promotion was never the overarching aim at Queens Park this season, so missing out was not a disaster according to captain Andy Kingdon.

“Overall it has been a good season, we just lost it the last few games,” said Kingdon.

“Seb was fantastic and was only a few runs short on of getting his fifth league ton of the year.

“Chris Kelemere, Richard Ashworth, Rob Shergold and Phil Allen were good signings so the future is bright for the club.”

BRIXHAM finished their season in clinical style with a rampant eight-wicket win over visiting Abbotskerswell.

Abbots were all out for 158 with five overs to go – Mike Pugh hitting a top score of 47 and Richard Lake chipping in with 28.

Lee Upham (5-38) posed most of the problems with the ball, aided and abetted by Craig Eaves (2-33) and Rhys Dallow (2-36).

Brixham knocked off the runs with 20 overs to go – Tim Robinson (57no) and Mitch Renwick (54no) adding 117 unbroken for the third wicket.

Brixham finished third in the final rankings and eight more points over the season would have seen them promoted.

Abbots finished one place ahead of the drop zone after a horrendous second half to the season, in which they did not win a game.

A mass exodus to Paignton - Chris Kelemere, Richard Ashworth, Rob Shergold and Phil Allen all fled - did nothing to help Abbots, who were fourth in the table at half way before their troubles started.