Devon Cricket Board - C Division - Clyst keep nerve to beat D&T in thriller

WHAT a finish! Clyst Hydon kept their nerve to beat Dartington & Totnes by six runs in a real thriller.
Hydon totted up 223 all out with Dhanuja Haturusingha leading the way with a century.
Darts reached the last over bowled by Haturusingha needing nine to win with three wickets in hand – and came up short.
Victory takes Clyst up to fourth in the table going into Saturday’s meeting with Chagford.
The gap between Ian Sutton’s side and joint leaders South Devon and Ipplepen is 42 points, which probably rules out late promotion push.
Sutton can only wonder what might have been had his side not been caught by more rain-offs than anyone else in the early weeks of the season?
Clyst looked anything other than likely winners when they were 94 for five when Kev Sercombe came out to join Haturusingha.
Their stand of 91 for the sixth wicket – Sercombe made 24, Haturusingha finished with 105 – turned the innings around.
D&T bowlers Ryan Stevenson and Ben Hartridge shared six wickets between them.
Jono Colgate (64) and Angus Wilson (46) then got D&T away to a 103-run start in the first 19 overs.
Jack Hockin (20) and Liam Blyth (20) kept the score coming down, although Darts were not helped by having to bat with 10 due to team raising problems.
So nine to win it was with six balls to go – which became seven off three.
Haturusingha (2-23) took a wicket then the next two batters ran themselves out in desperate attempts to make the target.
SOUTH Devon got back to winning ways after their slip against Clyst Hydon with a four-wicket victory over Chagford.
Chagford were bowled out early for 142 with Paul Penberthy (43) the only batter to make much headway.
South Devon shared the wickets around with two each for Jon Martin, Paul Hooper and Jonty Parsons.
A stand of 78 between Neil Hancock (60no) and Simon Rooke (36) paved the way for a South Devon win.
Steve Sizmur (2-25) and Charles Fitzroy (2-35) ensured it wasn’t plain sailing, but by the time Hancock caught on the boundary the target was down to a dozen and the game all but over.
South Devon are level on points now with Ipplepen with four games to go, starting with Kingsbridge away this Saturday.
South Devon and Ipplepen meet on the last day of the season in what is shaping up to be a title decider.
ALPHINGTON don’t look like going up this season – the 37-pont gap between them and top two Ipplepen and South Devon looks too wide to bridge – but they keep putting down markers for next season.
Having beaten South Devon three weeks ago when they were top of the table, the Alphas did it again last time out by toppling current leaders Ipplepen.
And in much the same way that South Devon were routed, Ipplepen were sent packing with their tail firmly between their legs.
There is no other way to describe a 138-run margin, other than a sound thrashing!
Dave Haysom top scored with 44 and Dinesh Raheja had the next best of 29 in Alphas’ 35-over total of 183 for seven. Paul James (27) and Tom Bath (20) both chipped in.
The Pens were none for one then 10 for two, three and four as it all went wrong in a hurry.
There were three wickets each for Bath and James, and two apiece for Raheja and Ben Newcombe, as Ipplepen were rolled over for 45.
Haysom, acting captain in the absence of Stuart Shaw, said it was pleasing and frustrating at the same time to be beating sides like Ipplepen and South Devon in the latter stages of the season.
“We have know all along if we can get close to out best side out we are as good as anyone on this divison – and now we are proving it too late in the day,” said Haysom.
“With Stuart and a couple of other out we were not at our strongest. If we can get a consistent side out next season we can go places.”
Alphington go to doomed Plymouth CS&R this Saturday, who were 132-run losers to Ottery last time out.
Mickey Wilkinson led the way with 133 and there as a half-century for skipper Lewis Townsend (54) in Ottery’s 312 for nine.
Civil were bowled out for 180 in reply, Alex Thurgate taking four for 16.
Ottery won’t be going up or down this season, but feel they might just be a bit better tha a mid-table side.
“We have been a lot more consistent this year having spent our first couple of seasons in this division worrying about staying up,” said Townsend.
“Against the two top clubs – South Devon and Ipplepen – we have got into into strong and maybe winning positions but not been able to see it through.
“That is our next step, turning the ones we could have won into games we do win.”
SHALDON’S season hit a new low when they dipped to a 31-run defeat against previously winless Kingsbridge.
The Optimists have gone eight games without a win now and in most seasons that would be relegation form.
Fortunately for the Optimists, Plymouth CS&R are definitely going down due to a point deduction – and Kingsbridge have left too late to find a way back.
Scoring runs has been the problem, according to skipper Craig Greenwood, who announced after Saturday’s defeat he will be standing down at the end of the campaign.
“It is time for me to play in the 2^nd XI as I am getting too old for 1^st XI cricket,” said Greenwood.
Whoever succeeds Greenwood – and the shortlist will inevitably contain Mark Couch’s name – will need to get the batters firing again.
Seamus McKenna started the season with a couple of tons, but has missed out more often than not since.
And Couch, usualluy good for a few, has not fired either, not that he is the only one.
There were half centures for Will Matthewman (50) and Bhanu DeSilva (65no) in Kings’ total of 219 for eight. Carl Woolnough (5-44) was easily the pick of the bowlers.
Woolnough then top scored for Shaldon with 66 in a total of 188 all out. He went in at 32 for five.
Man of the match DeSilva spun out four for 31 and there were two wickets each for Will Dorey and Neil Peach.
“I wish I could put my finger on what has gone wrong with our batting, but I can’t,” said Greenwood.