Devon Cricket Board - Exmouth go top +++ Braunton beaten +++ Chuds frustrated

Exmouth go top +++ Braunton beaten +++ Chuds frustrated

A DIVISION 2nd XI

EXMOUTH took advantage of Plymouth’s unexpected day off to go top of the A Division 2nd XI table with a six-wicket win over Sidmouth.

While Plymouth and Plymstock were being rained off at Torpoint, Exmouth were dismissing Sidmouth for 167 on the Maer Ground.

George Greenway took five for 17 to mop up the Sidmouth tail-enders. Earlier, Ashton Collinge and Pat Hall claimed two wickets each.

Sidmouth’s best stand was one of 50 for the first wicket between Tom Overthrow and Anthony Dibble (48) who made most of them. Lower down, 13-year-old Dan Powell made a top score of 60.

Exmouth got away to a confident start through Harrison Folland and Stuart Rintoul (48), who put on 68.

Jason Matthews (42) and Mike Collinge (22no) made further inroads and Lawrence Greenway had 20 to see Exmouth home with three overs to go.

Issac Thomas with three for 35 was the pick of the Sidmouth bowlers.

Winless Sidmouth remain on the bottom, eight points behind Braunton who were beaten by 107 runs at Sandford

Skipper Paul Smith top scored with 49 – then spooned a soft catch to mid-wicket with a 50 for the taking – and Mike Canning made 32 in a Sandford total of 205 for nine.

Mark Johnson had four for 46 and Chris Brigde three for 59 for Braunton.

The visitors were bowled out in just 27 overs for 98 with Sandford seamer Brian Leach doing most of the damage with six for 48.

The rot set in during the period when Braunton collapsed from 50 for four to 69 for eight.

Chudleigh spent a frustrating afternoon trying to prise out the bottom half of the Bradninch order in a drawn game at Kate Brook.

Chudleigh skipper Mark Heather rightly felt 219 for eight was enough and declared with a couple of overs to go.

Paul Windsor-Horne hit a top score of 90 for Chudleigh, with Ed Forward (28) and Heather (23) adding a few as well

Bradninch’s Syed Huusain took three wickets for 45 runs and also top scored with 48 on the reply of 158 for six.

Luca Fencl made 41, but runs were hard to come by as Graeme Wilson (3-47) wheeled away.

Twelve overs out Bradninch were way behind the clock at 125 for six, at which point Rob Acton (28no) and Chris Dean started flat-batting for the draw.

Barton were forced to settle for a draw against visiting Tavistock after slipping to 91 for six chasing 182 to win.

Matt Gibbs (61) and captain John McGahey (73) were the prime run getters for Tavvy in a total of 181 for five. They put on 103 for the fourth wicket.

Bowler Mike Lievesley opened the batting for Barton as he had a holiday flight to catch and wanted to get way. He made 17.

Wickets fell, mainly to Simon Gliddon (4-39), and when Jimmy Hamilton went Barton were 55 for four.

Once Adam Last (21) had gone and the sixth wicket had fallen, Hamilton got his head down to make an unbeaten 44 as Barton meandered to 129 for seven.

Barton skipper Jim Parker said while the result could have been better, the game had its benefits for the team.

“One of the main purposes of a second team is to bring on and develop the younger players,” said Parker.

“You also have to have a couple of, let’s say, more mature players to strike the right balance

“This game was a steep learning curve for some. We had Tavistock 22-2 off the first 15 overs and we were well on top.

“Two experienced batters came to the crease, put us under a lot of pressure and we lost the plot in the field for a while.

“The weather conditions didn’t help but that was no excuse

“I don’t mistakes being made as long as players learn from them, which I am sure they will. “Having said all that, I think we did really well batting out for a losing draw and it was great to see James Hamilton getting some runs and saving the game.”

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