Devon Cricket Board - B Division: Coult has B&P in a spin

B Division: Coult has B&P in a spin

B DIVISION

SOUTH Devon are tucked in three points behind leaders Plymstock at the right end of the table for a change after walloping Barnstaple & Pilton by nine wickets.

The Newtonians were relegated from the A Division last season after living dangerously for a couple of years, but are determined to go back up at the first attempt.

With three wins in four starts so far – a narrow defeat at Tavistock is the only blot on their record – South Devon have signalled their intentions from the start.

Barnstaple & Pilton were hustled out for 114 in 39 overs, almost exclusively by left-arm spinner Matt Coult.

The former Cornwall U19 player, who has a brief spell with Exmouth before switching to South Devon, took eight wickets for 26 runs as B&P subsided from 80 for five to 118 all out.

Jack Popham (20), Lee Cole (18) and Mike Paine (18) were the only batters to make it into double figures.

Knocking off the runs was never a problem for South Devon, whose only casualty on the chase was Tom Carter.

Carter (54) and Henry Burningham (38no) put on 114 for the first wicket in 24 overs, leaving it to next man in David Baldock to hit the winning runs.

CHAGFORD won for the first time this season when they overturned Tavistock by 55 runs at the Ring.

Billy Searle (51) scored his third league half century of the current campaign – no mean feat for a 15 year old – in Chagford’s all-out total of 192.

Searle and Jeremy Christophers notched 61 for the third wicket with Del Lammonby (27) joining the teenager to rack up another 51.

Shaun Cleave (4-51) had the middle order wickets with Andy Gauler (4-35) mopping up at the end.

Searle the showed he can bowl a bit as well by taking five Tavvy wickets for 20 runs as the Moorlanders were removed for 137.

Cleave top scored on 36 for Tavvy, whose next best score was the 24 posted by skipper Dave Manning. Their stand of 59 for the fifth wicket was as good as it got for the losers.

Christophers (2-38) and Lammonby (3-48) shared the wicket-taking duties.

CHUDLEIGH’S hit-and-miss form continued with a five-wicket defeat at Dartington & Totnes, which drops them into the bottom two.

A total of 174 to win wasn’t much to defend, but Chudleigh worked hard and D&T were relieved to get him midway through the final over to claim their first win of the campaign.

Rob Clarke (40) and Lewis Howard (34) were Chudleigh’s prominent run scorers. Harry Baxendale (3-38) was D&Ts best bowler.

The home side were sent on their way by a stand of 101 for the second wicket by Bertus Loots (43) and Ian Bransdon (42no). Baxendale clouted 24 in 14 balls to hurry the score along at the end.

Jon Martin took three for 21 for Chudleigh, who will be hoping for an improvement when they make the short trip to South Devon this Saturday.

CLYST St George are anchored fast at the foot of the B Division following their 117-run drubbing by leaders Plymstock.

Plymstock struggled at first against Chris Ferro (3-64) and Stephen Bourke (3-60), with Matt Smith (42) and Rory Coltham (37) the only batters to make much headway.

A stand of 72 between Dom Wood (47no)O and Morgan Parkinson (23) moved the score along and a top up by skipper Dave Orchard helped reach 217 for six.

Clyst were 40 for none in reply before it all went wrong. A running total of 71 for two became 90 for six and 100 all out as Orchard (4-20) and Seb Jordan (3-30) ran through the middle order.

Only Pete Andrews (26) and Chris Cook (24) made respectable scores for Clyst, who are 17 points adrift of safety.

THORVERTON moved two places to fourth after beating Axminster by four wickets.

Axminster put on 208 for five in a game reduced to 45 overs a side by bad weather.

Openers Tristan Wakeley (47) and Gary Larcombe (45) gave Axminster an 81-run start then Paul Miller (39) and Steve Read (22no) chipped in.

Blake Charlton (2-45) and debutant James Hope (2-53) had the best bowling figures for Thorverton.

Thorverton were glad of a helping hand over the finishing line from former captain Gareth Hess, whose 68 off 32 balls helped seal a last-over win. Will Denford (30), Hope (29) and Alastair Fury (29) and the unbeaten Gillam Crouch (25) all weighed in.

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