Devon Cricket Board - C Division: Hydon miss a trick

C Division: Hydon miss a trick

C DIVISION

CLYST Hydon missed out on a golden opportunity to gain ground on runaway leaders Lewdown when they slipped up at Ivybridge.

Lewdown were rained off at home to Kingsbridge, which meant six points only and the chance for second-placed Hydon to get up to 20 at Ivybridge.

It didn’t go according to plan though as Ivybridge amassed 229 for seven, then shot Hydon out for 169.

Clyst are no worse off than they were before as they picked up six points for losing. Skipper Kev Sercombe probably won’t see it that way though!

Josh Zimmerman was Ivybridge’s star turn with a knock of 86 not out off 71 balls. He took a few risks against Hydon’s Sri Lankan paceman Dhanuja Haturusingha (1-63), which included top-edging him for two sixes while taking him for 18 in an over.

Jeewan deSilva (44) joined the party, as did Andy Johnson with 30 on his return to form.

Clyst went off at an express pace, reaching 30 for none in six overs, but found the breakneck pace unsustainable after a while.

It all looked good at 89 for one – Ian Sutton (45) and Andy Feather among the runs – but when Chris Jelly went for 26 Hydon were wobbling at 116 for six.

Haturusingha (36no) kept going, but Kelvin Trent (5-48) and Paul Veale (3-42) mopped up his partners with two overs to spare.

Cockington are still looking for their first win of the season after going down by 70 runs at Bideford, but there are signs of life down in the basement.

Chasing Bideford’s total of 220 all out, Matt Allin making a century, Cockington were less than three overs from holding on for a draw when their overs ran out.

Allin (102), Sam Allin (25) and Andy Webbe (28) were Bideford’s leading scorers.

Rob Cassidy took four for 53 and the ever improving James Howrihane had three for 58.

Skipper Andy Hele made 75 and Will Wyatt 44 before Bideford’s bowlers got on top.

James Ford took four for 32 and there were two each for Pete Waterman and Jack King as Cockington were all out for 150.

Cockington are 45 points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table already and starring relegation in the face for the second year running.

Former Devon keeper-batsman Hele accepts the situation isn’t good, but isn’t lying awake at night worrying about it either.

“One way and another we have lost seven players from last year’s team – three of the Needhams, James Fraser, Theo Holland, Neil Stanlake and Gavin Colegate – and any team would struggle after that,” said Hele, who has previously skippered South Devon, Barton and Torquay.

“If we have to go down to find a level which we are more suited to, so be it.

“There are still things going right, such as getting two full teams out every week and giving younger players a chance.

“Most weeks half the 1^st XI is aged under 23, which can only be a good thing for the club.

“Jack Allen and James Howrihane are coming along leaps and bounds because of the chances they are getting.

“Importantly we are all enjoying our cricket and I am proud of the players who are making themselves available to help out in a difficult time.”

Seaton went on a go-slow at Stoke Gabriel in a game that predictably ended in a draw.

There were runs all down the order from Stoke Gabriel as they totted up 261 for seven.

Mark Newman (38) and Rob Baker (21) made 50 for the second wicket, Simon Phillips (41) and Matt Smyth made 52 for the sixth, Karl Blackburn (23) got a few then skipper Dave Bolland (38no) and Jamie Day (49no) knocked up 98 unbroken.

Ben Morgan (4-75) had the only figures of note for Seaton.

The reply was a tortuous affair at times as Seaton crawled to 54 for three at the 23-over halfway mark.

Bolland (3-43) did his best to open the game up, and with Matt Hancock making 54 and Steve Pritchard (51) Seaton mustered 198 for eight.

Ashburton remain in the bottom two with Cockington after losing by three wickets in a reduced overs game at Hatherleigh.

Rain meant it was 34 not 46 overs a side, in which Ashburton made 158 for eight.

Tom Durman (62) and Kevin Nicholls (19) posted 64 for the first wicket with Chris Pascoe (18) finding his touch again after a lean run.

Simon Gillespie (4-47) was the pick of the bowlers.

Tom Rogers (39) and Rob Chapman got Hatherleigh off to a 57 run start, then Mark Lake (37no) and Hugh Romans (24) got it down to the last few with an over to go.

Kris Connabeer (3-28) bowled tidily for Ashes, as did Ashley Harvey.

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