Devon Cricket Board - Bounceback win for Torquay

Bounceback win for Torquay

TORQUAY bounced back from their opening day Premier Division reversal against Sidmouth with a five-wicket win on the County Ground over old rivals Exeter

Blake Reed hit a top score of 76 and there were half centuries for Andy Curtis and Matt Hicks in Exeter’s total of 242 for seven.

Curtis – dad Tim used to play for England – and Reed notched 130 for the first wicket and after they went the runs just kept on coming from Tom Viljoen (25) and Hicks (54no).

Viljoen may have got a few more had he not made an error of judgement between the wickets and was run out by Matt Thompson.

Dan Wightman took three for 49 for Torquay.

Torquay paced their reply to perfection with early runs from Tim Western (24) and Des Kruger (44), followed up by 33 from Micky Wilkinson.

Kruger rode his luck – he was dropped in the slips – and Exeter felt they paid for that.

The match-winning stand was between the Thompson brothers – Matt (52) and Joe (31) worth 75. Mark Gilmour’s 38 not out wrapped things up with seven balls to spare.

Exeter’s bowling was functional rather than impressive with Hary Booker’s spin more miserly than most.

For Exeter skipper Jon Tipper it was a case of minor failings adding up which cost his side the game.

“We were probably 30 runs short when we batted, although it didn’t look like it at the time,” said Tipper.

“Had we held on to our catches – we dropped Kruger twice and Mark Gilmour at the end – we might have had enough.

“These are all minor errors, but at the level we are playing at they add up.

“There were positives though and we looked a much better side than we did when we lost at Bovey Tracey.

“Blake and Andrew Curtis looked a quality act and Matt Hicks scored a 50 off 20-something balls.

“We have seen Matt in the nets and know what he is capable of; other teams will be finding out soon.”

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