Devon Cricket Board - E Division: Honiton close gap

E Division: Honiton close gap

E DIVSION
LEADERS Filleigh were denied any action with the wicket at Chardstock, where Uplyme and Lyme Regis were due to stage the game, left waterlogged by the Friday night rain.

With leaders Filleigh inactive Honiton had the chance to close the gap and they did so, banking all but one of the 20 points on offer with a four-wicket home win over Kenn.

The visitors batted first and were restricted to 185-8 with Vijay Goud the top scorer with 61.

Rob Parsons (37) and Pete Chislet (30no) also made contributions with Phil Tansley (3-21) and Adam Holmes (2-38) taking wickets for the hosts.

Honiton got home thanks to an unbeaten 45 from Rob Ingram whilst Adam Holmes completed a fine all-round effort with a knock of 39. Goud starred with the ball as well as the bat for Kenn taking 3-42 and Dave Chislet also bagged a brace of wickets.

Kenn’s Roy Henderson said: “It was one of those nip and tuck games that could have gone either way. Vijay played very well with both bat and ball and we were not too far short come the end.”

Goud has scored 255 runs in five games so far at an average of 51.

Upottery climbed a place into third after a seven-wicket Matthew Button-Stephens inspired home win over Babbacombe.

The South Devon side were held to 150-7 with only Marcus Thompson (31) making much progress as Stuart Drew (3-45) and Gary Kennard (2-37) claimed wickets. Button-Stephens then hit 45 before unbeaten knocks from Jason Kennard (35no) and Adam Pullman (26no) saw the East Devon side over the winning line.

Skipper Dave Woolacott said: “It was a very efficient all-round effort throughout the side.

“We bowled well to keep them, down to a score I felt, at the break, was very gettable and so it proved.

“Matthew (Button-Stephens) batted very sensibly to help set up what became a comfortable win.

“We remain in the mix for end of season honours and now need to maintain a god level of consistency.”

KENTISBEARE were 121-run winners at doomed Woodbury where they scored 214-6 thanks largely to a knock of 71 from the in-form Chris Gillett and then bundled the hosts out for 93 with Harry Howe claiming 4-30.

Skipper Michael Cook said: “We deserved to win after a solid show with the bat and some clinical bowling. Harry (Howe) was most effective and it sets us up nicely for the coming weeks when we may well be able to play ourselves back into contention at the top of the table.”

THERE was a high-scoring draw at Culmstock where Kilmington returned home with the winning draw and hosts Tiverton & Bickleigh had to settle for the losing draw. Last week’s centurion, Tom Gooding, top scored with 66 and there were useful contributions from Dave Cook (49), Ralph Cook (41) and an unbeaten half century from Izzy Wickramaratne in a total of 286-5.

Russ Hilton (2-48) and Richard Pugsley (2-51) were the main wicket takers for the home side, who closed on 204-6 with skipper Tim Reed top scoring with 66.

Richard Pugsley struck 27 and there was a valuable cameo of 22 from Ben Schofield. Ben Noble took 2-34 in 12 overs and Gooding completed a fine all-round effort for Kilmington with a brace of wickets.

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