Devon Cricket Board - A Division - Exeter underline gulf in class

A DIVISION

EXETER showed why they are top of the A Division and South Devon are propping it up when they beat the Newton Abbot side by a whopping 199 runs.

A stand of 112 between Baden Norwood (67) and Mike Wilkinson (30) pointed Exeter towards a total of 245 for eight. Chris Webb (25) and Cameron Grainger (38no) got involved in topping up the tally.

South Devon spinner Hamad Hassan took five Exeter wickets for 43 runs.

Exeter skipper Jon Tipper then took six for 27, and Andy Meade four for 19, as South Devon were skittled out for a paltry 46.

It was South Devon’s lowest league score since 1979 when Chudleigh rolled them over for just 40 at Kate Brook.

They were 11 for four then 19 for six and were all out in just 16 overs. Hassan made a top score of 17. Five batters didn’t manage a run between them!

It is Braunton next for Exeter, who are 11 points clear of chasing Cornwood at the top of the table.

Skipper Tipper did his best to be diplomatic about the result, saying: “We bowled in the right areas from the start and at 19 for six it was only going one way.

“Of the 10 wickets to fall eight were either bowled, lbw or caught behind.

“You can only play what is in front of you. South Devon are having a tough time this season. Braunton will be a tougher proposition.”

When you have lost by 199 runs you take what crumbs of comfort you can find.

South Devon skipper Adrian Hewings said: “Bowling wise we took eight wickets which no one else has off Exeter this year and we struck to the task throughout in the field.

“I don't think anything can be said about the batting, other than we ran into a firing attack.

“We should have been able to deal with it a lot better than being bowled out for 46!”

BRIXHAM had Shobrooke Park on the ropes but could not land the knockout punch that would have won the game.

Brxham rattled along to 202 for seven with Mark Orchard making a top score of 79. The key stands were of 59 between Orchard and Mark Newman (29), 68 between Orchard and Mitch Renwick and 27 at the end from George Northcott and Joe Hyde to bring up the fifth bonus point.

Cliff Dare had four wickets for 44 runs and there were two more for Pete Turner.

Shobrooke’ batting has looked flaky at times this season and it seemed like more of the same as they collapsed to 109 for nine with more than eight overs to go.

Lee Upham (4-33) and Matt Stringfellow (3-53) were Shobrooke’s tormentors.

Last man Mark Wheeler dug in to make Shobrooke’s top score of 24 not out as he and Ben Trenaman negotiated the final overs to reach 150 for nine.

Having had leaders Exeter under the cosh seven days earlier, Brixham skipper Mark Orchard could be excused feeling sore about the result. Not a bit of it!

“I was happy to have come away with 15 points after losing the toss and being stuck in on a wet one,” said Orchard.

“We had to grind out 200, by batting our overs and applying ourselves.

“I chucked Lee Upham the ball and he rewards himself and the team by getting four wickets off an impressive spell of bowling.

“It was good to see us with high standards in the field and a high intensity.

“All round it was a good performance, just missing the last wicket.”

PAIGNTON are all set for trip to Plympton this Saturday after defeating Plymstock by six wickets in a truncated affair at Queens Park.

Matt Smith top scored for Plymstock with 22 in a 21-over total of 89 for seven.

Stephen George (3-18) was the pick of the Paignton bowlers.

Paignton needed 19 of their 21 overs to polish off the runs. They were seen him by Andy Kingdon (29no) and Brady Barends.

Hallam Kerton took two for 21 for Plymstock.

Paignton skipper Andy Kingdon said: “It was a good result considering at one point I thought the weather was going to ruin another game.

“We bowled well, especially Mike Pedley and Steven George, who bowled with a lot of control.

“Ninety was never going to be an easy target, but we managed to get the job done.”

CORNWOOD are up to second in the A Division table after beating Braunton by six-wickets in a 28-over game at soggy Oak Park.

Braunton laboured to 108 for seven with Lawrence May (28) and Ian Roberts (20) the only batters to pass 20.

Matt Butterworth (3-430 and Eliot Staddon (2-28) were Cornwood’s most successful bowlers, although Salman, Mike Wood and Adam Goodliffe all bowled miserly spells.

Cornwood won with more than two overs to spare, led home by acting captain Jason Hall with an unbeaten 48. Debutant Mark Horwell made 29.

Cornwood players worked tirelessly before the game to get conditions fit enough for play and got their reward.

Hall, filling in for work-tied Craig Harris, said the hard graft was done in the field to keep Braunton’s total manageable.

Looking back at the run chase, Hall added: “The side went about collectively chasing down the target with contributions throughout.”

ABBOTSKERSWELL became the first team to beat Plympton this season when the turned them over by four wickets at Two Mile Oak.

Andy Walter top scored with 69 and Josh Mailing made 41 – they put up 80 for the first wicket – in a Plympton total of 192 for seven.

Jeremy Williams smashed it around at the end to make 26 as Plympton posted what they felt was a more than sufficient total.

Chris Kelmere (3-48) and Josh Dowling (2-28) were Abbots’ most effective bowlers.

Abbots had the runs knocked off with more than six overs to go, led there by skipper Richard Lake (69) and Josh Dowling (37), whose 62-run stand got them ahead of the clock after a stammering start.

Kelmere (30no) and Dick Acton (16) applied the finishing touches despite Plympton’s best efforts to rein them in before it was too late.

“Considering we made an above-par score for the pitch and conditions – 160-175 would have been about right – it was a shocking result,” said vice-captain Dave Wrench.

“Although it was a good score, yet again not enough batsmen have made a contribution.

“We were 120 for one when Andy got out, then the wickets tumbled.

“The pitch dried out and flattened when Abbots batted – and we didn’t help ourselves by a poor bowling and fielding display.”

Abbots make the short trip to Cornwood this Saturday, where skipper Lake wants a better show from the bowlers.

“We had a long discussion before the game of where we want our season to go and we are starting to show it in the right areas,” said Lake.

“We allowed Plympton a positive start due to some average bowling and too many four balls

“It wasn't until Shergold, Kelmere and Dowling were introduced that we got a grip on the game.

“Our start wasn't much better and from six for two we did well to get out of trouble with Dowling and myself rebuilding for Kelmere and Acton to take game away from Plympton.”