Devon Cricket Board - Golden oldie Roe his 59 at 72 for B&P

FARM COTTAGE HOLIDAYS NORTH DEVON CRICKET LEAGUE – WEEK FOUR

WEEK four of the season produced some eye catching results, particularly in the top Division where there was defeat for reigning champions North Devon and a win for top-flight new boys Hatherleigh.

   There was an impressive individual knock in a Division Five Saturday game at Filleigh III where 72-year old former Somerset star Brian Roe carried his bat throughout the Barnstaple and Pilton III run chase to end unbeaten on 59.

   However, Roe’s first innings for 17 years could not quite see Barum to victory as they closed on 235-3; 11 runs shy of the Filleigh total.

   In the Division Four game at Braunton Kelsey where Westleigh were the visitors, the scores were tied with the home side 289-8 when Mark Johnson struck the last ball to a fielder who dropped it – the batsmen scrambled a single and Braunton claimed a last ball victory!

DIVISION ONE

HEATHCOAT claimed a second successive win and consigned champions North Devon to their first defeat of the season with a 66-run win at Creedy Park.

   Liam Lewis cracked a superb 115 and Andrew Birt-Mitchell chipped in with 66. Craig Overton took 2-21 and then brother Jamie top scored with 47 but only Matt Westaway (37), Ray Clarke (35) and Pete Hansell (35) were also able to make much headway as the reply floundered on 199. Dillon Penberthy claimed 4-38 and Sam Wadham bagged a brace of wickets for the Mid Devon side.

   Simon Gillespie struck 71 and Andrew Collier weighed in with 33 as Hatherleigh totalled 186 at Bideford. Dave Smale claimed the top flight’s first fivefer of the campaign, finishing with 5-28 and James Ford took 3-33 for the home side who were then bowled out for a disappointing 143. Ford, batting at number five, was unbeaten at the close on 41. Matt Allin hit 34 and Alan Withecombe chipped in with 30. Visiting skipper Rob Cockwill took 3-25 whilst both Jack Ashmoor and Nick Rogers claimed two wickets each.

   Newton Tracey were 71 run winners at Filleigh. Rob Gear (75) and Simon Gear (74) carried the visitors to 254-8. Gary Henry (3-50) and James Marsh (3-51) claimed wickets for the home side who were then bowled out for 183. Godfrey Tucker top scored with 42 and skipper Simon Prideaux struck 33 whilst Phil Steward picked up 4-38 for Newton Tracey.

   In the one Saturday top flight game, Sandford, with three early season defeats already, were looking comfortable on 159-2 after 31 overs when rain struck their game at Hatherleigh and washed proceedings out. Paul Smith was unbeaten on 64 at the premature close. Ryan Glass had earlier hit 47.

DIVISION TWO

BEAFORD made a winning start to their season with a four wicket home win over Victoria Park. The visitors were restricted to 136-8 with Mark Lake, Paul Herd and Alex Crisp each taking two wickets. Ali McMillan then led the successful run chase with 63 and Nigel Lake chipped in with 33. Mark Bettis (3-22) and Mike Cashmore (2-31) were the principle wicket takers for Victoria Park.

  Jamie Tapper and James Hope combined to great effect to bring Incorrigibles their first win of the season. Tapper (83) and skipper Hope (63) led the Witheridge based hosts to 228-8 and then Tapper (4-35) and Hope (3-26) combined to bowl visiting Weare Giffard out for 163.

   Barnstaple and Pilton claimed a third successive victory with a 103 run win at Lynton and Lynmouth. Jack Popham scored with 55 in the Barum total of 255-8. Popham then took 2-44 in support of Henry McEndoo (3-13) as the hosts were bundled out for 152 with only Tristan Jones (18) making any headway. The biggest home contribution to the cause was no fewer than 56 extras!

   Shobrooke Park bagged their first win of the term with an 89 run win at home to Shebbear. Phil Anning hit an unbeaten 74 and Pete Turner struck 23 as the Mid Devon side closed on 209-9. Ollie Wicket (53) was the only visiting batsman to make progress as Justin Dollow (3-18), Pete Turner (3-10) and Pete Steer (2-17) combined to bowl the visitors out for 120.

DIVISION THREE

HALBERTON made it two wins from two in a high scoring affair at Sampford Peverell against Bideford II. Andy Blake (133) and Dan Coles (83) put on 201 for the first wicket as the home side made their way to an imposing 342-3. Fred King claimed two of the wickets for 41 runs and then hit 42, but it was a 91 from John Weekes that led a spirited Bideford reply to 211 all out. Neil Pitfield, Tom Radley and Joe Wadham each claimed two wickets for the hosts.

   Holsworthy claimed a second win in three outings and consigned Bude to a third defeat in four as they won by 33 runs at Bude. Matt Williams (93) and Dave Gerry (42), were the principle run getters in the Holsworthy innings of 190—6. Mike Taylor was the most successful home bowler with 3-22 but then only Ben Purcell (40) and Keith Drew (32) made any significant progress with the bat for Bude as they were bowled out for 157.

   Bratton Fleming II were ten run winners over Filleigh II in the other game in this section.

DIVISION FOUR

BRAUNTON Kelsey had a double dose of success over the weekend with victories over Lynton and Lynmouth II and Westleigh and both games produced noteworthy contributions.

   In the Saturday game, Dave Cresswell (123), Jason Hayes (93) and Martin Seward (68no), combined to help Braunton Kelsey to a commanding 342-4. Alistair Rodway and Jeremy Bingham each bagged a brace of wickets for the visitors who were then hustled out for 136 with young Sam Lathwell claiming seven wickets for just 23 runs, and that means, two games into the season, the youngster already has ten wickets for just 42 runs! Barnaby Haywood (42) and Charles Walker (35) were the only Lynton batsmen to make any progress.

   The following day there was a thriller played out at Braunton where visiting Westleigh batted first and made their way to an impressive 288-9, led there by James Corry (86), James Tythcott (78) and Lee Merrick (43). Gary Gomez took 3-26 for the home side who then replied in like fashion with Wayne Manning hitting 82. Andy Paddison weighed in with 62 but it was the unbeaten knock of Walid Iqbal that took the hosts to the line as he hit an unbeaten 53. The scores were tied off the penultimate ball leaving Mark Johnson at the strikers end. The final ball was hit by Johnson straight to a fielder who spilled the catch – the batsmen scampered home for the run and Braunton claimed a famous single-run victory.

   North Molton were comfortable seven wicket winners at Barnstaple and Pilton II. Batting first, Dave Loader (61) and Joe Chugg (26) led Barum to 153-6. Pete Davis took 3-29 for the visitors who then breezed to victory led by an unbeaten 63 from Dominic Ford and a half century from James Geen. Nigel Rowe claimed two wickets for beaten Barum.

DIVISION FIVE

ILFRACOMBE were 24-run winners at home to Heathcoat II. Nathan Townsend (53), Ryan Woodger (36) and Mark Cavanagh (27) saw the hosts to 184-5, this after they had been 70-2 after 30 overs. Jamie Drew (35) and Pete Guest (33), led the run chase which ended on 160-9. Skipper Jamie Sutton claimed a second successive four wicket haul and he currently has early season figures of eight wickets for 44 runs.

   The Saturday game in the basement Division saw Filleigh III triumph in a close encounter against Barnstaple & Pilton III. Jaz Kalsi struck a superb 96 and Martin Abbot hit 47 as the home side closed on 246. The reply was led by Andrew Barton with a majestic 120 whilst there was also a wonderful contribution from 72-year old former Somerset star Brian Roe, playing his first game for seventeen years. Roe carried his bat throughout the reply, ending unbeaten on 59 but the reply fell eleven runs short leaving Filleigh the winners.

RESULTS

DIVISION ONE

(Saturday game)

   Sandford 159-2 (P Smith 64no, R Glass 47) rsp at Hatherleigh. Match abandoned.

(Sunday games)

   Heathcoat 265 (L Lewis 115, A Birt-Mitchell 66; C Overton 2-21), North Devon 199 (J Overton 47, M Westaway 37; D Penberthy 4-38). Heathcoat (20pts) bt North Devon (6) by 66 runs.

   Hatherleigh 186 (S Gillespie 71, A Collier 33; D Smale 5-28, J Ford 3-33), Bideford 143 (J Ford 41no, M Allin 34; R Cockwill 3-25). Hatherleigh (20pts) bt Bideford (6) by 43 runs.

   Newton Tracey 254-8 (S Gear 74, Rob Gear 75; G Henry 3-50, J marsh 3-51), Filleigh 183 (G Tucker 42, S Prideaux 33; P Steward 4-38). Newton Tracey (20pts) bt Filleigh (6) by 71 runs.

DIVISION TWO

   Victoria Park 136-8 (N Hill 40, J Glass 31; M lake 2-21, P Herd 2-22, A Crisp 2-35), Beaford 139-6 (A McMillan 63, N lake 33; M Bettis 3-22, M Cashmore 2-31). Beaford (20pts) bt Victoria Park (6) by 4 wkts.

Incorrigibles 228-8 (J Tapper 83, J Hope 63), Weare Giffard 163 (J Tapper 4-35, J Hope 3-26). Incorrigibles (20pts) bt Weare Giffard (6) by 65 runs.

   Barnstaple & Pilton 255-8 (J Popham 55; S Jennings 2-16), Lynton & Lynmouth 152 (extras 56, T Jones 18; H McEndoo 3-13, J Popham 2-44). Barnstaple & Pilton (20pts) bt Lynton & Lynmouth (4) by 103 runs.

    Shobrooke Park 209-9 (P Anning 74no, P Turner 28; C Jenn 2-38), Shebbear 120 (O Wicket 53; P Turner 3-10, J Dollow 3-18, P Steer 2-17). Shobrooke Park (20pts) bt Shebbear (4) by 89 runs.

DIVISION THREE

   Halberton 342-3 (A Blake 133, D Coles 83, A Hills 50no; F King 2-41), Bideford II 211 (J Weekes 91, F King 42; J Wadham 2-36, T Radley 2-42, N Pitfield 2-46). Halberton (20pts) bt Bideford II (4) by 131 runs.

   Holsworthy 190-6 (M Williams 93, D Gerry 42; M Taylor 3-22), Bude 157 (B Purcell 40, K Drew 32; A Butler 2-20). Holsworthy (20pts) bt Bude (6) by 33 runs.

   Bratton Fleming II versus Filleigh II – Bratton Fleming II won – no other details received.

   Sandford II 261-4 (G Abdoll 101no, R Glass 56, S Ashplant 55), North Devon II 167-6 (J Kelly 74; S Ashplant 3-22). Sandford II (20pts) bt North Devon II (4) by 94 runs.

DIVISION FOUR

(Saturday game)

   Braunton Kelsey 342-4 (D Cresswell 123, J Hayes 93, M Seward 68no; A Rodway 2-30, J Bingham 2-60), Lynton & Lynmouth II 136 (B Haywood 42, C Walker 35; S Lathwell 7-23). Braunton Kelsey (20pts) bt Lynton & Lynmouth II (0) by 206 runs.

(Sunday games)

   Barnstaple & Pilton II 153-6 (D Loader 61, J Chugg 26; P Davis 3-29), North Molton 154-3 (D Ford 63no, J Geen 50; N Rowe 2-35). North Molton (20pts) bt Barnstaple & Pilton II (3) by 7 wkts.

   Westleigh 288-9 (J Corry 86, J Tythcott 78, L Merrick 43; G Gomez 3-26), Braunton Kelsey 289-8 (W Manning 82, A Paddison 62, W Iqbal 53no; A Down 3-38, J Corry 3-41, S Floyd 2-34). Braunton Kelsey (20pts) bt Westleigh (8) by 2 wkts.

DIVISION FIVE

(Saturday game)

   Filleigh III 246 (J Kalsi 96, M Abbot 47; J Rowe 2-30), Barnstaple & Pilton III 235-3 (A Barton 120, B Roe 59no). Filleigh III (20pts) bt Barnstaple & Pilton III (10) by 11 runs.

(Sunday game)

   Ilfracombe 184-5 (N Townsend 53, R Woodger 36, M Cavanagh 27), Heathcoat II 160-9 (J Drew 35, P Guest 33; J Sutton 4-13). Ilfracombe (20pts) bt Heathcoat II (10) by 24 runs.