Devon Cricket Board - Bovey sent Exeter down the table

Bovey sent Exeter down the table

EXETER slipped within five points of the Premier Division drop zone after going down by 16 runs Bovey Tracey.
Exmouth were below Exeter in the table, but beat Heathcoat by 57 runs to move ahead of the city side.
Skipper Peter Bradley top scored for Bovey with a patient 40 in a total of 225 for nine.
Stands if 55 by openers Mark Lake (23) and Jordan Willoughby (26) followed by Bradley’s partnership of 59 with Seamus McKenna (20) helped the score along.
Pick of the bowlers was Dom Bess (2-20). England U19 star Ben Green had three wickets, but they came at a cost of 53 runs.
Exeter lost Devon opener Rob Holman and Green early to Ryan Bougourd (3-30), but made an 83-run dent in the total courtesy of surviving opener Zac Bess (57) and Sean Morris (54).
Bess was first out having hit seven fours and two sixes, with Morris going on 136 for four.
Sam Hickenbottom (3-32) got into the middle order once Charlie Sheen prised out Zac Bess as four wickets went for 28 runs.
Will Hardwick (27) and new signing J J Debenham (16) gave it a crash, but their stand of 38 wasn’t quite enough as Exeter dipped to 209 all out with nearly three overs to go.

Bovey skipper Bradley agreed with Lenygon that is side didn’t bat well, but added the win was all that mattered.

“It was one of those games we could look back at the end of the season and be very happy we won,” said Bradley.

“Exeter are a good team and could well be up there - as could many - come the end of the season.

“We didn't play well for the majority of the game, after a great start from Lake and Willoughby.

“The top seven all got starts without going on. There was some poor shot selection for a very capable top order.”

Bradley interventions by Ryan Bougourd at the end of the Bovey innings and the start of Exeter’s gave the side a lift.

“Ryan hit two forehand sixes – he has not been out in the league for two seasons – then a perfect start with the ball with the important wickets of Holman and Green early on,” said Bradley.

Bradley said Bovey failed to maintain their intensity in the field, which they were lucky did not cost them.

Hickinbottom’s spell got Bovey back on track, but Bradley doesn’t want to paper over the cracks.

“There is a lot to improve on, but most of all, keeping our standard up for the whole game as a team and individuals,” he said,

That’s just one win in thee starts for Exeter – plus a cancellation on day one.
The side below them in the table are Plymouth, who visit the County Ground this Saturday on a high after beating Plympton to claim their first win of the campaign.
Miles Lenygon, the Exeter captain, feels the problem is in the bowling department as sides are scoring too many runs against them.
“It was the same at Paignton where we didn’t accurately enough,” said Lenygon.
“No Bovey Tracey batsman dominated us – they reached 225 without anyone scoring a 50 – yet even under no pressure we were bowling four balls almost every over.
“On a not-very-good wicket we helped them get more than they should have done.
“The proof was when Hickenbottom came on. He bowled stump to stump, which was exactly how you needed to bowl in those conditions.
“At this time of the season you expect your bowlers to make more of a contribution and we simply aren’t doing it.
“I would exempt J J Debenham from that as he has bowled his off-spin well since joining us from Exmouth a couple of weeks ago. Without him it would have been an even bigger struggle.
“Ollie Sale is back next weekend and that should give our bowling a lift.”

DCB Ltd, University of Exeter Sports Hall, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QN Company Registration Number: 7024773