Devon Cricket Board - Premier - Tougher tests ahead says Bradley

SIDMOUTH hammered Plymouth by eight wickets to clamber up to third in the Premier table.
Plymouth were held to 200 for nine in their 50 overs – James Toms top scoring on 39 – but lacked the bowling firepower to stop Sidmouth knocking off the runs with more than four overs to spare.
Sidmouth skipper Will Murray’s verdict was good, but room for improvement.
“It was a mixed performance as we didn’t bowl and field to our best, but batted with confident authority and put Plymouth under immediate pressure.
It was a good win and just the start we needed to the second half of the season.”
Plymouth lost opener Jake Luffman early on, but got too 91 for three without too many problems.
Toms was run out when he and Barr found themselves at the same end at the same time.
Barr was bowled by Miles Dalton for 27, followed by Andy Birkett being caught and bowled off a leading edge by the same player.
George Stepehenson (22) and Rob Bennett (33no) were the only significant run scorers in the middle order.
Sidmouth were 83 without loss before Plymouth made a breakthrough.
Matt Cooke smashed a ball from Barr in the direction of Matt Hooper at mid-wicket.
Hopper couldn’t hang on but palmed the ball up in the air for Birkett to take at the second attempt.
Sam Anderson perished for 70 when he slogged Barr (2-27) to Mawalage at mid-off.
Anthony Griffiths (38no) and Josh Bess (48no) delivered victory for Sidmouth in an unbroken stand of 73.
Plymouth skipper Barr had no complaints, saying: “It was a peach of a wicket despite the recent conditions and we didn’t score enough runs..
“Sidmouth came out with all guns blazing and every loose ball we bowled seemed to get hit for four.
“Defending four an over on that track was always going to be difficult. We were unable to put Sidmouth under any real pressure and they easily outplayed us.”
EXMOUTH captain Richard Baggs said this Saturday’s game against Plymouth will make-or-break the season after the 62-run defeat at North Devon
Exmouth, joint leaders before the game, were hit to all parts by North Devon’s ton-up pair Dan Bowser and Glenn Querl.
The pair got together at 28 for two after a double strike from Trevor Anning, who went on to take five for 29.
Bowser made 101 and Querl exactly 100 in a stand of 211 for the third wicket.
Exmouth had a go – they were 160 for one courtesy of Barney Huxtable (67) and Max Curtis (65) – but slipped behind the asking rate in the second half.
Bowser capped a fine game with three wickets for 43 runs, among them dangerman David Lye (34), as Exmouth closed on 233 for seven.
Defeat knocks Exmouth down to second and brings North Devon within 30 points of outright leaders Bovey Tracey.
Baggs said North Devon were deserved winners, although his side contributed to their own downfall.
“It was a 220-230 track and we ended up chasing nearly 290 on it because we bowled poorly and batted dreadfully,” said Baggs.
“The worst thing which happened to us was taking a couple of early wickets.
“We have a young side and I think there was a feeling among the younger players we would bowl them out from there.
“Next thing you know Bowser and Querl have put in 200-odd and the lads don’t know how to deal with it.
“Batting wise we had a lot to do and needed someone to come off big time if we were going to chase them down.
“What happens next is my main concern now. I am looking for a response from the boys when we play Plymouth this Saturday.
“Win that one and we keep the pressure on Bovey and stay ahead of Sidmouth, the side I think are a big threat.
“Lose and I can see us fading away and ending up plodding along for a mid-t able finish.”
BRADNINCH skipper Gary Chappell didn’t hold back after his side’s five wicket defeat at Torquay.
Matt Golding (35) and Ross Acton (38) had the only scores worth noting as Bradninch were dismissed for 127.
Former Devon batsman Matt Hunt then hit 62 to see Torquay over the line with 13 overs to spare.
Defeat is a setback for Bradninch’s hopes of featuring in the Premier title race this season as they have dropped 35 points off the pace.
Said Chappell: We weren’t very good!
“We batted poorly and were well below par.
“Had we got a couple of early wickets we would have had a sniff, but Matt Hunt batted well, knuckled down and won them the game.”
Take out the stand between Golding and Acton worth 48 for the third wicket and there wasn’t a lot from the Bradninch batters. Only Joe Webb off the rest reached double figures.
Spin proved the key for Torquay with Tom Field taking four for 26 on his debut following a transfer from Paignton and Aqeel Ahmed bagging two for 16.
Hunt opened up for Torquay and when he was out at 123 it was game over anyway.
Bradninch will be looking to bounce back against Bovey Tracey this Saturday.
HEATHCOAT kept their cool in a tense finish to beat Sandford by nine runs in the derby clash at Creedy Park.
It was a must-win game for Heathcoat, who were in danger of being cast adrift at the foot of the table if they lost.
There is a long way to go before safety is secured as Heathcoat are 34 points behind in the scrap to stay up. At least they have a chance.
As for Sandford they are now one abov e the drop zone themselves, although they do have a 14-point cushion over Budleigh.
Heathcoat made 17 for six in 50 overs with youngster Harry McDowell making 40 not out in the middle order.
Sandford seemed to be in a good place at 110 for four with Russ Discombe (41), Dave Dredge (20) and George Greed (18) all chipping in.
Neil Bettis (14) was bowled by Tom Drake having a heave and had the former Devon run getter stuck around the outcome could have been different.
Pressure brought wickets for Small (2-32), James Drew (1-3) and Jack Menheneott (2-19) as Sandford slipped to 168 all out.
Sandford have a basement battle with second-bottom Budleigh Salterton this Saturday. Heathcoat go to champions North Devon, which skipper Small is relishing.
“Hopefully, another win is awaiting us this weekend and we can close that gap a little further,” said confident Small.
“We batted okay, but too many batters got starts without going on, which is why we were short of a par score of 200 on that pitch.
“Our bowling went well, especially from Tom Drake and Jamie Drew.”
BUDLEIGH Salterton’s relegation worries deepened following a 48-run loss at Bovey Tracey that left them 15 points adrift of safety.
Bovey’s total of 166 all out was a competitive one and achieved thanks largely to the efforts of Bradley and Neil Hancock.
Bradley made 45 before a sharply turning ball from Jack Dart bowled him all ends up.
Hancock was next best on 40. He was spun out by former Devon colleague Bob Dawson with a ball which kept low.
Charlie Carter (15) and Matt Kidd(12) chipped in lower down with useful runs in a low-scoring game.
Although Budleigh lost stand-in captain Dawson for five – caught behind of Peter Bradley – James Burke (34), Eliot Rice (19) and Dart (13) nibbled away at the target.
When Budleigh were 80for two they were in a winning position. After slumping to 96 for eight against Chris Bradlley and Ryan Bougourd they were out of it.
Lloyd Murrin made 23 in a losing cause as Bougourd (4-24) and Chris Bradley (4-15) bowled Budleigh out for 113.
Said Dawson: “Had we won the toss it may have worked out differently.
“I have played enough cricke t at Bov ey over many years to know it is a result wicket.
“The longer you bat on it the harder it becomes to bat.
“Bovey made a good score and to get near it we needed a few things to go our way.
“When they batted we dropped a few catches – dropped two – and Peter Bradley was given not out by the umpires when we thought he had been bowled.
“You would think there could be no argument about that, but the doubt was weather the ball hit the stumps via the wicketkeeper’s pads.
“When we batted, I didn’t make very many, neither did James Hudson or Gammy and that did for us.
“It only needed one of us to come off and we may well have won .
“It wasn’t the result we had hoped for, but we are capable of playing our way out of trouble.
“Our young player are getting better with every game, particularly our seamers Matt Plowman and Charlie Morris.
“We have the nucleus of a decent side and if we keep improving there is time to get out of trouble.”
Bovey Tracey skipper Peter Bradley said the real challenges have yet to come if his side are going to win the Premier Division title this season.
Bovey are in a good position, but nowhere near far enough ahead to start talking about winning titles just yet.
“We have still got Exmouth and Sidmouth to play and our ten point lead could go just like that,” said Bradley
“Sidmouth are a strong side – you only have to see the way the demolished Plymouth on Saturday to see that – and of the two they are probably the greater threat.
“It is still too early to be talking about winning titles. Ask me when there are a couple of games to go.”