Devon Cricket Board - C Division - Townsend has plenty to smile about

OTTERY St Mary skipper Lewis Townsend was a happy man after his side chased 258 to win against Alphington and got them with two overs to spare.
Alphington made a respectable 257 for six, led by Ramesh Dinesh with 60, aided and abetted by Dave Haysom (56) and new-signing Jon Hill (47no).
Hill used to play for Seaton in their Premier Division days and is a welcome addition to the ranks at the Chronicles.
Townsend, who made a ton in a losing cause against Shaldon seven days earlier, top scored again with 60 a Ottery went off in hot pursuit.
Best of the rest was Mickey Wilkinson with 56 while Jack Pritcharda made 40 and Billy Read 45. Tom Bath picked up three for 58 for the losers.
Said Townsend: “It was a cracking game of cricket and all the more enjoyable for having fallen short by a handful of runs against Shaldon.”
Alphington face Clyst Hydon this Saturday looking for a win to keep in touch with the top three.
Ottery are at home to Chagford, which brings Townsend into opposition with his Isca Hockey Club team-mate Jonathan Wright.
IPPLEPEN entertain bottom side Kingsbridge hoping to get back on track after surrendering their unbeaten record to Chagford.
Pens and South Devon have been taking it in turn at the top of the table, but the Newtonians are out in front now after crushing Shaldon Optimists last time out.
Ipplepen are 16 points behind, but with a 27-point gap between them and Dartington (3rd) there is no real pressure on them yet.
They play South Devon next Saturday as the season reaches halfway and would like a decent showing against Kingsbridge as a warm-up.
Joe Abbott top scored for Ipplepen with 50 in a total of 188 for nine.
Jacob Griffiths picked up three of their wickets for 33 runs and there were two each for Neil Rowlands and 15-year-old prospect Will Lammonby,
Divan Marais (52) and Simon Lord (20) gave Chagford a start, leaving Jonathan Wright (56no) to complete the chase.
“Our batting let us down as they bowled in a disciplined way and took all their catches - some of them outstanding,” said Pens’ skipper Keith Wakeham.
“We were probably 40 runs short.
“Our bowling and fielding was below par and we dropped Wright and Marais, who put on a century stand.
“We were beaten fair and square but will look to bounce straight back.”
UNBEATEN South Devon go into the derby date with Dartington & Totnes flying high after an eight-wicket win at Shaldon.
Shaldon have knocked over some good sides this season and in James Fulner and Seaumus McKenna have a couple of formidable early order batsman at C Division level.
South Devon saw what Shaldon were capable of as Todd Bullman (24) and Fulner (38) made a 58-run opening stand.
Sean Day (4-34) made the breakthrough by trapping Fulner lbw, but McKenna (22) kept going.
Jon Martin (2-33) and Neil Hancock (2-37) got involved as Shaldon dipped to 104 for six.
Jamie Day led a late rally with (27) to get Shaldon up to 169 all out.
South Devon got the start they didn’t want when newcomer Simon Rooke went for nine, but that was as good as it got for Shaldon.
Second-wicket pair Dave Knowles (62) and Neil Hancock (75no) put on 143 to get within seven runs of victory.
After Knowles departed it was left to Paul Hooper to smash the winning runs with a six.
South Devon are 16 points clear at the top but are struggling against an injury list which seems to grow with every game. Day (calf) is the latest of the walking wounded.
Ali Wright, the South Devon captain, said it was a win to savour because Shaldon are one of the better teams in the division.
“We were really looking forward to this one as they're a decent unit and we wanted to test ourselves against the top teams.
They started pretty well on a good-looking track, but after the first 10 overs we pegged them back really well.
“Knowlesy and Hanks looked fantastic chasing them down, and their bowling and fielding was good too.
“We had players missing due to injuries so it was good to get through with maximum points.”
Shaldon are away to lowly Plymouth CS&R this Saturday.
DARTINGTON & Totnes responded to a verbal booty up the backside from skipper Ryan Stevenson with a thumping 241-run win away to Plymouth CS&R.
Stevenson criticised his batters for letting the side down in the defeat by Ipplepen seven days earlier, when they were skittled out for 52 and lost by 131 runs.
The boot was on the other foot against Civil as D&T piled up 296 for eight – Stevenson top scoring with 84 – before Civil were skittled out for 55 in reply.
Bertus Loots got D&T away to a flying start with a rapid 56, then Stevenson and Kevan Throgmorton (37) notched 102 for the fifth wicket.
Liam Blyth chipped in with 41 as the total grew and grew.
Civil collapsed in a heap against Stevenson’s pace and the wily seamers of Jono Colgate.
Stevenson took seven for 22 and Colgate the other three for 26 to send Civil packing.
Coming next for D&T is a date with leaders South Devon at Foxhole.
CLYST Hydon proved too strong for bottom side Kingsbridge, who were bowled out for 164 and lost by six wickets.
James Shepherd top scored with 47 for Kingsbridge, putting on 37 for the sixth wicket with Will Pike (25). James Westlake had 35.
Chris Holmes (3-30) led the bowling effort for Hydon, aided and abetted by Sean Devine (2-20) and Dhanuja Haturusingha (2-27).
Ian Sutton (52) and Graham Pawley gave Hydon a 58-run start, then Graham Trude (28) and Holmes (29) wrapped up victory with 10 overs to go.
Shepherd (2-27) and James Rosewarne (2-29) were the pick of the Kingsbridge bowlers.
Hydon are away to Alphington this Saturday.