Devon Cricket Board - F Division - Kerswell end long wait for a win

F Division - Kerswell end long wait for a win

F Division

KINGSKERSWELL ended a long wait for a win when they overturned Topsham St James by 38 runs.

Kerswell last won a game of cricket in the league a year and a week ago when they overcame Woodbury by six wickets.

Kerswell batted first and lost their final wicket with the score on 230. Paul Mitchell

Despite losing the toss, Kerswell skipper Paul Mitchell was more than happy to bat first and significant contributions from top-order men Mark Bryant (36), Mark Andrews (45) and Aron Owen (46) set the home side on their way to a decent total.

A 31-ball 50 from Mitchell saw Kerswell to a more than respectable 230 all out against a decent visiting bowling attack.

Rob Parker (4-45) and Tops skipper Ross Treleaven (4-32) led the bowling effort.

The reply closed with the Saints bowled out for 192 with only Johnny Horne (48) making much impression as Dave Lear (3-2) and Mark Andrews (2-5) did the damage with the ball.

At 149-5 with 20 overs to go, Topsham were in the driving seat. The introduction of leggie Lear who bowled the dangerous Horne and had Miller lbw in his first over swung the game back Kerswells way.

Treleven, a more than useful bat, with 28 looked more than capable of seeing his side home but when he was Lear’s third victim with the score on 176 the game was all but up for Topsham.Andrews wrapped up the tail.

“A really good all-round performance and a really good game of cricket,” enthused skipper Mitchell.

“Excellent opening spells by 17 year old Ellis Denega (2-28) and 16 year old Chris Robson-Close (1-49) got us started and change bowlers Dan Elliott (15) 1-25 and Owen (1-44) kept the game in a nip-and-tuck situation.

“David Lear bowled superbly, as did Mark Andrews.”

Although they lost, Topsham are the new leaders as they didn’t lose as badly as the other early frontrunners.

Culmstock climbed into second spot with an outstanding victory at Yarcombe where they arrived with players still en-route and opted to bat and made their way to a close of 189-9 with Oliver Rowe (52) and Spencer Popham (22) the main providers.

James Mitchum was the star of the show for the hosts with a magnificent spell that saw him claim 6-36.

Mitchum then hit the second highest total in the reply but his 17 was bettered only by a knock of 23 from Dave Patch and the reply was all over with just 66 on the board! Tom Martin took 3-6 in four overs as the provider of the greatest support to the star with the ball – Alex Brookes who tore the home opening order to shreds with 4-20.

Newton St Cyres skipper Dave Church was in reflective mood after his side went down by three wickets to visiting Shaldon to surrender top spot.

“We did not play as well as we know we can but lost to a better side on the day. Our total was never going to be enough for the bowlers to defend but they made a superb fist of it to knock over all but three of the visiting wickets.”

Mike Parfitt (29) and a half-century of extras, helped the hosts to a disappointing 123 all out and then Sam Withers took 3-20 as the visitors got home with overs and wickets to play with.

Cheriton Fitzpaine were left celebrating at their local pub after a rare win. The Cherries beat visiting Chelston by five-wicket thanks to a superb knock of 84 not out from Jeremy Tricks.

The South Devon side batted first and laboured to a close of 187-2 led there by Kris Mabbutt with 54.

Rob Keight picked up the two wickets to fall, finishing with figures of 2-41. Tricks then took centre stage after tea with a superb unbeaten innings and the next highest was from the bat of skipper Ben Coe who hit 37. Stuart Collyer claimed three of the five Cheriton wickets to fall.

Greg Newcombe struck a magnificent century, finally out for 100 and Vic Murphy weighed in with an unbeaten 42 as Exeter Civil Service raced to 242-4 at Hemyock.

It proved insufficient to win the game though as the hosts battled to 161-9 at the close. Peter Kittow hit 49 for the Mid-Devon side but the next best was a knock of 19 from Sam Iddon as Rehann Caryl once again got amongst the wickets with 3-32.

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