Devon Cricket Board - Premier prospects: Heathcoat buzzing

PREMIER DIVISION – WEEK 11

HEATHCOAT go into their Knightshayes meeting with defending champions Sidmouth on a high after two morale-boosting wins.

Beating Paignton in the league last Saturday by four wickets gave Heathcoat a fighting chance of getting out of the bottom two in the Premier Division before it is too late.

The icing on the cake was beating Bovey Tracey in the Devon Cup quarter-finals on Sunday afternoon, on a day when skipper Liam Lewis was called away at short notice to assist Devon in their game against Cheshire at Torquay.

Bovey made 233 for nine in 40 overs - Chris Clayton hitting 56 off 59 balls and Ben Ayres 55 off 49 balls. Heathcoat’s Sam Wadham took two for 37.

Heathcoat knocked off the runs with four wickets and seven balls in hand.

Joe Smith’s 71 off 73 balls laid the foundation for the chase. Pete Randerson (35), Chris Small (48) and Sam Smith (37) all chipped in.

“We had a two good confidence-building games last week, but are still deep in relegation trouble,” said Lewis.

“Sidmouth are one of the best teams in the league and have some real match winners with bat and ball.

“Hopefully, we can take some of the confidence from two good run chases into this weekend as we fight for every single point possible.”

Jack Maunder is on holiday and will be replaced by Tom Frankpitt.

For Sidmouth it is a case of keeping their eye on the ball as they chase North Devon at the top of the table.

“We ought to win, but they will be buzzing after a couple of good wins and won’t be a push-over,” said Sidmouth captain Will Murray.

“”There is a job to be done to win there and we need to go about it in as professional way as possible.”

Sidmouth will be unchanged from the team which beat Bradninch last time out.

PLYMOUTH have the opportunity of improving their Premier Division position by leapfrogging Exmouth, who visit Mount Wise tomorrow (1pm).

Callum Whittaker's city side trail their visitors by seven points amid a mid-table cluster of clubs.

Whittaker is upbeat and confident of doing so, but warned his side will have to rediscover last season's level of consistency.

Plymouth go into the match on the back of a narrow defeat to Budleigh Salterton last weekend, Whittaker's men going down by two wickets with just five balls remaining.

The hosts make three changes from that line-up with Charlie Hill, Matt Hooper and Nick Reid, making way for teenagers Ben Stein, Pavi Mawalge and also Harry Kandampully.

Exmouth are a high after beating Sidmouth to win the McKinleyWhite T20 cup on Sunday.

Exmouth lost ground in the title race last Saturday when they lost to Bovey Tracey, who will be going for six wins in a row against Plympton tomorrow.

Richard Arnold blasted 43 in no time at all to set Exmouth up for a nine-wicket victory over Sidmouth.

George Greenaway won the Man of the Match award for taking 4 for 11 off just 3 overs, including three wickets in his first over.

Another lift for Exmouth this week was David Lye winning the league’s player of the month award for May.

Lye won the award for his prowess out in the middle, which saw him score 68, 90 and 74 in successive innings.

The prize - a bottle of champagne and a cheque for £50 - was handed over by Paul Collings from the Torquay office of league sponsors Francis Clark to Lye during a break in play in the recent county game between Devon and Cheshire at the Recreation Ground.

BRADNINCH will be under new management tomorrow when they meet Budleigh Salterton at Kensham Park.

Skipper Ross Acton suffered a recurrence of an old back problem in the defeat at Sidmouth last Saturday and has relinquished the captaincy to concentrate on getting fit again.

The new hand on the tiller belongs to all-rounder Gary Chappell, who recently became available to the club again after finishing his studies at the University of Bath.

Chappell has been skippering the university side this season – his first game in charge was against Devon Lions – so won’t be going into the job completely cold.

Budleigh welcome back Devon pair past and present James Hudson and James Burke. Out go James Sharkey and Norman Murrin.

JUST when they could have done with a breather in their fight for survival, Premier stragglers Paignton have to travel to leaders North Devon.

Defeat by Heathcoat last time out left Paignton badly exposed at the bottom of the table.

They trail Heathcoat by 37 points and have to find 45 points from somewhere between now and the end of the season to get past Plympton and reach safety.

Paignton know why they are where they are – a lengthy list of the long term injured headed by Andy Kingdon and Stephen George – and have had to draw heavily on their reserves.

It doesn’t help when old warhorses like Terry Farkins can’t make it to North Devon due to family commitments, but skipper Seb Benton remains optimistic despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

“We have had to bring in a lot of young players and it has been a steep learning curve for them,” said Benton.

“It doesn’t look too good for us, but there are still points to play for and if we keep plugging away and grind out some results there is always a chance.

“We are going to stay positive and stick together.”

Top against bottom should not be seen as a foregone conclusion, said North Devon skipper Mark Hedden.

“I am hoping 20 points this week, but we must not just take it for granted,” said North Devon captain Mike Hedden.

“Paignton are scraping away and won't give us easy points.

Devon squad man Dan Bowser is fit and available this week but starts in the 2nds.

Tom Ansell is unavailable so young Joe Kelly comes in for him.

Otherwise the team remains the same.

BOVEY Tracey take on Plyympton aiming for their sixth win on the trot.

Spirits are high in the Bovey camp after a runaway win over Paignton on Wednesday night in the South Devon T20 final at South Devon CC.

Bovey clattered along to 192 for eight with Ben Ayres smearing 77 off 36 balls – and leaving dents in the bonnets of four cars parked around the boundary. Chris Clayton (20) and Peter Bradley (30) chipped in

Paignton were 101 for eight in reply. Benton top scored with 26.

Plympton have a busy weekend as they move on to a Sunday afternoon Devon Cup date with Bovey Tracey.

It is the league which matters though for skipper Andy Walter, who believes if Plympton show the same fighting spirit which worried North Devon last time out they can be competitive.

Walter said: "It was very disappointing to have taken North Devon so close – I felt we deserved at least a losing draw. But, they are a very good side and playing with assurance and lots of confidence.

"As will Bovey be tomorrow, after all they've won five on the trot which has taken them from one end of the table to the other in short order.

"We've always enjoyed fine games against Bovey in the past and I'm sure tomorrow's is not going to be an exception to the rule.

"But our priority will be league points at Bovey, which will not be easy, but that's our goal.

"We're third from last with around seven points on (second-bottom) Heathcoat who have North Devon, who we know are difficult to beat."