Devon Cricket Board - Devon Cup quarter-finals

OPENER James Toms lashed a century to set Plymouth on course for a 25-run win at Cornwood in the last eight of the Tolchards Devon Cup.
Toms smashed 10 fours and three sixes on his way to 103 off 95 balls in a Plymouth total of 190 for seven in 33 rain-reduced overs.
Until Rob Bennett arrived at 142 for six, no Plymouth batsman apart from Toms made more than Harry Kandampully’s15.
Bennett biffed an unbeaten 27 off 16 balls in the final five overs.
Byron Langley was the meanest of the Cornwood bowlers with one for 19 from seven overs.
Robin Dart (1-20) was tidy and Matt Skeemer (3-39) picked up wickets – including Toms, who was caught behind.
Cornwood lost Duncan Boase reaching 56 for one in reply, but with Jackson Thompson cracking along to 56 off 52 balls they were up with the asking rate at 81 for one.
Then Dan Goodey (2-22) dismissed Thompson and Cornwood started to slide.
From 81 for one they dipped to 99 for four with John Kerridge (4-20) doing most of the damage.
A running total of 119 for seven was no improvement and despite some big his from Langley, who made 32 off 20 balls, Cornwood were all out for 165.
Plymouth skipper Matt Hooper heaped praise on Devon opener Toms, who has had a quite time with a bat in his hand recently.
“James batted brilliantly and held the innings together well on a difficult pitch,” said Hooper.
“I know he is desperate to score runs for Devon and Plymouth, it would take a brave person to bet against that.”
On the fielding performance Hooper added: “We knew it was all about bowling good areas and keeping it tight.
“We didn't do that to start with and Cornwood have players that can hurt you.
“John Kerridge and Dan Goodey bowled unbelievably well and we were able to keep the wickets tumbling while the rate was climbing.
“The seamers then came back on and polished it off for what was a hard fought victory.”
It is Exeter at home in the last four, which Hooper is particularly looking forward to.
“They turned us over in the league recently, so we owe them one,” said Hooper.
PLYMPTON’S Devon Cup hopes ended in a low-scoring affair against Exeter at Harewood House.
In a game reduced to 34 overs a side, Plympton reached 132 for nine.
John Fish top scored with 27 and Ross Farrer chipped in with 21.
Ben Green shaded the bowling performances with three for 28 ahead of Jack O’Dowd (2-19) and Peter Hensor (2-18).
Exeter struggled to knock off the runs and crept over the line with nine balls and five wickets in hand.
Alex Bosomworth (29) and Green (28) got Exeter most of the way there, leaving Will Steward (21no) to tie up the loose ends.
James Carr, the Plympton captain, had no complaints.
“It was a good match and I was happy with how we played, although I thought we were 20 short and we were.
“Dropping Ben Green first ball didn't help either as he went on to make 28 and broke the back of the chase.
“But overall it was a good performance against a Premier side.”
The other semi-final will be between Paignton, who beat Barton by 105 runs in a 20-over thrash, and Sidmouth.

HEATHCOAT crashed out of the Tolchards Devon Cup on Sunday when Sidmouth trounced them by seven wickets at Knightshayes.

With skipper Sam Smith missing and the Menheneott brothers out as well, Heathcoat were depleted before they started.

Josh Bess (2-37), Scott Barlow (2-17) and Dan Babula (2-37) had Heathcoat under the cosh from the start, reducing them to 28 for six by the end of the 13^th over.

Qassim Adams with a rapid fire 89 off 76 ball, which included five sixes and eight fours. Batted through with the bottom half of the order to make 137 all out.

Only Jamie Drew (12) reached double figures apart from Adams.

Sidmouth, last season’s beaten finalists, had the runs wiped out by the 29^th over.

Bess (53) and Liam Lewis (12) gave Sidmouth a 49 runs start, then Anthony Griffiths (37no) added 49 more with Bess for the second wicket.

Sidmouth lost Bess and former Heathcoat keeper Peter Randerson (14) before Matt Cooke joined Griffiths to knock off the last 19 runs needed for victory.

PAIGNTON earned a home date with Sidmouth in the last four of the Tolchards Devon Cup thanks to a 104-run win over Barton.

The game was limited to 20 overs each and Paignton cracked on to make 190 for five with some devastating hitting against a depleted bowling attack.

Zubyar Hamza top scored with 44 off 26 balls for Paignton, putting on 53 in less than seven overs with Peter Taylor (28)

Taylor and Rob Shergold put on 26 for the fourth wicket – and when Taylor went Chris Kelmere arrived to join Shergold.

In just four and a half overs Kelmere and Shergold put on 60 as the bowling flagged.

Shergold finally went for 38 – some reward for Stephen Lewis, whose four overs cost 50 runs.

Kelmere finished unbeaten on 38 in a total of 190 for five.

Barton, who welcomed back captain Adam Parker after surgery on a knee, were behind the clock from the word go against a Paignton attack which could not have been much stronger.

Shaun Needham made 20, but a middle-order collapse that saw five wickets go getting from 48 to 68 snuffed out any remote hopes.

Connor Ashworth had three for 12 and Dan Wolf two for 14 as Barton slowed to 89 for nine.