Devon Cricket Board - A Division 2nd XI: Barton back in contention

A Division 2nd XI: Barton back in contention

A Division 2nd XI

BARTON moved back into promotion contention in the A Div with a resounding 58-run victory at Plymouth.

Under the direction of stand-in skipper Pete Gartrell, whose tactical nous is more commonly seen in footballing circles, Barton were asked to bat by their hosts and set a season's best of184 for six for the Plymouth club's ground.

After a solid start which saw them 53-2 at halfway, Gartrell's troops were spearheaded by Dave Palmer's 98 and ably assisted by fellow football manager Tony Bowker whose 19 singles allowed Palmer to command the strike.

Palmer should have scored a ton, but two runs short ran past a delivery from Phil Barrow (4-31) and was bowled.

After tea Gartrell's bowlers responded to an attacking field with two early wickets to set the hosts reeling before some stubborn resistance half way down the order was eventually removed by Palmer (4-30), Stuart Bowker (4-36) and Will Riley (2-32).

Barton secured a 19-point victory to move them into second place level with Bradninch, who visit Cricketfield Road on Saturday.

Should resident skipper Jim Parker and his deputy Mike Lievesley be released from first team duties this weekend, an interesting conundrum faces the Barton selection team.

OPENER Stuart Rintoul hit 67 as leaders Exmouth dispatched Sandford by six wickets.

Sandford were limited to 171 for eight in their 50 overs with Shaun Hawkins crafting a top score of 80.

Hawkins and Brian Leach (26) put on 57 for the fourth wicket in the only stand of note for Sandford.

Matt Tarry (4-50) led with the ball for Exmouth, assisted by Pat Hall (2-30) and Mike Collinge (2-26).

After Rintoul and Julian Page (20) had gone, Dan Waistell (25no) and Stuart Cross (17no) steered Exmouth to victory with five overs to go.

Bradninch beat Tavistock by eight wickets to earn a share of second place with Barton,

Tavistock struggled for runs from start to finish – they were 50 for one after 23 overs – and were a modest 110 for eight in the full 46.

Dad and lad Phil (37) and Jamie Stephens (31) made the only scores of note as Willl Squire (3-30), Luca Fencl (3-21) and Nick Dean (2-27) bowled dot ball after dot ball.

Chris Acton (48) and Andy Nicholls (18) got Bradninch within 13 runs of victory. Dean (18no) finished the chase.

Bradninch go to Barton this Saturday in what could be a key game in the promotion race.

Chudleigh picked up a maximum against bottom side Sidmouth to move four off the bottom of the table.

Ed Forward (37) and Lewis Howard (37) gave Chuleigh a 72-run start, which Matt Dowrick (30), Ben Tuckett (29) and Sean Newland (27) built on to generate a total of 212 for six.

Only Mike Dibble (30) had the staying power to hang around long as Sidmouth were skittled out for 74 with nine overs to go.

There were two wickets each for Barry Griffiths, Sean Newland and Mark Heather, but pride of place went to spinner Lewis Howard with three for nine in eight overs.

Braunton beat Plymstock by 80 runs to inch towards safety at the bottom of the table.

Mark Johnson (72) and Alex Hodges (42) put on 113 for the second wicket in a Braunton total of 166.

Ian Whalley (5-44) and Ross Matthey (3-28) contested the bowling honours for Plymstock.

Plymstock never truly recovered from slumping to 25 for four, although they did after a fashion to 79 for five thanks to Paul Birleson’s 20.

It was downhill all the way to 86 all out after that with Chris Brigden finishing with four for 16 and two wickets each for Johnson, Keiran Jarrett and Dan Crocombe.

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