Devon Cricket Board - A Division - Heathcoat and Paignton forging ahead

HEATHCOAT will be looking to make it four out of four at the top of the A Division this Saturday when they travel to Brixham.
Sam Smith’s side are three from three already after winning by 115 runs at Hatherleigh, although the skipper wasn’t too impressed by his side’s showing.
Steffan Jones top scored on 30 and there were chip-in scores from Justin Williams (29), Smith (27) and Jamie Drew (18) at the end towards a total of 180 for nine.
Hatherleigh were always in trouble after slumping to six for three then 17 for four after an early duffing up from Jones (1-4) and Paul Elliot (4-24) and were dispatched for 65.
Only Ryan Davies (14) and Simon Gillespie (17)made double-figure scores for Hatherleigh.
Jason Parr (2-20) helped speed Hatherleigh to an early demise.
Heathcoat are on 57 points from a maximum of 66 at the top of the table with Paignton (55) their closest rivals.
Skipper Smith said his view on the game was ‘could do better’.
“It was a mixed batting performance with far too many starts and no one going on,” said Smith.
“We gave a thank-you to Jamie Drew for his 20 at the end for getting us to three batting points..
“However, our bowling was top class. We put a lot of pressure on Hatherleigh and it was rewarded – Paul Elliot stood out again.
“We must field better as we dropped three catches.
“It was a good win but we now have four tough ones in a row.”
Hatherleigh skipper Mark Lake said his side only performed for half the game, which isn’t good enough in the A Division.

“We bowled very well and I thought we had a chance chasing,” said Lake.

“But with some poor shots and a very unpredictable pitch we batted poorly.

“It was our worst batting performance of the season by far.”

PAIGNTON remain tucked in two points behind A Division leaders Heathcoat following a businesslike seven-wicket win over visiting Sandford.
There were four wickets each for George Benton (4-21) and Steve George (4-24) as Sadnford were skittled out for 107.
Paignton made a hesitant start as Jamie Palmer (3-27) got among the early order, reducing the home side to 28 for three.
Skipper Connor Bryan (42no) and Chris Kelmre (42no) knocked off the rest to give Paignton victory.
“To be 100 per cent after three games is a dream start for us,” said skipper Connor Bryan.
“The good thing is it isn’t one or two players doing most of it every week, but everyone in the team contributing.”

BRIXHAM ended their wait for a win with a hefty 135-run win away to bottom side Braunton.
Kyle Schroder (93) and George Northcott (67no) were among the runs as Brixham amassed 276 for five.
Braunton were all out for 141 in reply with Jon Higgs (40) their top scorer.
Matt Parsons led the wicket-taking effort for Brixham with three for 21 and there were two each for Lee Upham and Joe Hyde.

PLYMPTON are up to third in the A Division after a tense 19-run win at Barton.
Dave Wrench made 71 not out as Plympton totted up 211 for seven – the sort of total which takes some getting at Barton.
When Barton were 139 for nine in reply it seemed like job done, but the home side had other ideas.
Last pair Tom Drake and Stuart Bowker put on 54 for the final wicket and it was a relieved Plympton skipper Jeremy Williams who finally saw the back of Bowker to win the game.
“We bowled well for two thirds of the Barton innings with Ryan Skinner particularly impressive,” said Williams.
“When we failed to kill Barton off they put a very good partnership together for the last wicket, which made it a little too close for my liking at the end.”
There was nothing much wrong with the batting though, as Williams readily admitted.
“Josh Mailling looked good, Dave Wrtench batted himself into form with an anchorman knock and we batted well in partnerships,” said Williams.
Wrench went in a 51 for three and was still there 151 balls later.
Mailling made 36 and the skipper chipped in with 30.
There were two wickets each for Damon Calland and Drake.
Barton ran into early difficulties against Skinner (3-33_ and Pavi Mawalage (3-25) – and losing four of their front five lbw did not help! Only Andy McVeigh (30) stayed long.
Drake (59no) and Bowker (15) made the scoreline respectable before Skinnner came back to remove the last man.

PLYMSTOCK have some work to do in the batting department after slumping to a seven-wicket defeat at Abbotskerswell.
No one made more than the brace of 17s posted by James Nicholls and Morgan Parkinson in a disappointing total of 91 all out. Nineteen extras helped an otherwise anaemic score.
Plymstock slipped from 52 for two to 66 for eight under pressure from Abbots’ medium-pacer Charlie Garratt.
Garratt finished with five for 20 while there were two wickets each for Ryan Williams 2-9) and Marcus Green (2-13)
Green’s slip catch to remove Plymstock batter Steve Coomer was out of the top draw.
Abbots had a wobble at the start of their reply as Hallam Kerton (2-14) posed plenty of problems for them.
From 28 for three it was plan sailing as Richard Acton (31no) and Guy Harrison-Roberts (18no) saw Abbots home with more than 21 overs to spare.
Plymstock are now one off the bottom with only Braunton below them.
“We play Braunton next and that has become a must-win game for us now,” said vice-captain Nicholls.
“When we play Braunton we have to make sure we bat better than we have done in the last two games.
“Not only are we losing wickets in clumps, we are not scoring enough runs.
‘That’s two games now without a batting bonus point and that can’t be allowed to continue.”