Devon Cricket Board - Premier Division - Bovey pull clear at top

Premier Division - Bovey pull clear at top

BOVEY Tracey shot 15 points clear of the field at the top of the Francis Clark Devon League Premier Division table when they beat Exmouth by two wickets.
The two sides were only three points apart going into the game, but now Bovey have a bit of a cushion.
On a good day all-round for Bovey, defending champions Sidmouth in third place lost for the second week running, this time at Plymouth to leave them trailing 19 points behind.
Exmouth recovered from 40 for five and 123 for eight to make 171 all out in the last of their 50 overs – skipper Richard Baggs playing the anchorman role with a patient 53 after coming in at seven for three.
Only David Lye (21) made any runs apart from Baggs as Bovey skipper Peter Bradley (4-17) ran through the top order.
Gary Chappell (25) and George Greenway (23) offered bags some support with runs in the bottom half.
The tail-enders did a good job of hanging around, leaving Baggs to score most of the runs as Exmouth went from 114 for seven to 171 all out.
Matt Golding had been keeping it pretty tight from one end until Baggs lashed him for 17 in his eighth and last over.
Bovey’s innings didn’t get off to a great start with opener Damian Bourke shouldering arms to Trevor Anning, the watching horrified as the ball took middle and off!
Peter Bradley was an unhappy lbw to Mark Orchard, who followed up by removing Golding for nine as Bovey dipped to 40 for three.
Andy Fairbairn’s 43, topped up by Neil Hancock (34) and Ben Ayres (34no) edged Bovey closer.
Anning (3-35), Chappell (1-33) and Lye (1-26) kept Bovey’s batters honest, but despite a mini wobble from 136 for five to 150 for seven, Ayres batted through.
“I don’t want to come over as all cocky just because we won, but I think Exmouth misread the pitch,” said Bradley.
“Although it had been covered it was damp in places and did a bit for the seamers.
“As the game went on the pitch dried and we definitely had the best of it.
“Exmouth are an attacking side and came out playing their shots – which is the way they play.
“I heard them grumbling about the pitch, but early in they had one caught at mid-on, another at mid-off and two bowled. That’s nothing to do with the pitch.
“They are so used to scoring 250-300 they thought they would just do the same. Richard Baggs showed what was really needed by batting time.
“We didn’t start brilliantly – perhaps we had a bad decision or two – but Andy Fairbairn batted fantastically for us.
“We kept chipping away and at the end Ben Ayres showed the right sort of aggression to get us home.”
TORQUAY couldn’t have done much more than they did in the basement battle with Budleigh Salterton on the Recreation Ground by handing out a 10-wicket hiding.
Budleigh were limited to 146 for eight in a rain-restricted 40-over game – opener James Burke (61) and Eliot Rice (25) making the only scores of note.
The only other batter to reach double figures as Matt Plowman (12), who went in at number nine.
After Burke and Rice took Budleigh from 43 for one to 105 for two, it all went pear-shaped.
Jack Richaradson (2-30), Dan Wightman (2-12) and Jack Bradbury (1-30) all picked up wickets as Budleigh faltered.
Budleigh’s total always looked on the low side – just how low was made crystal clear as Torquay openers Tim Western (60) and Des Kruger (74) knocked off the target inside 27 overs.
Matt Kidd was the only bowler to keep the lid on Torquay with the rest all going for five an over or more.
The normally frugal Bob Dawson went for 30 in five overs as Kruger went after him to the tune of four sixes.
Victory lifts Torquay to fourth from bottom, ahead of Cornwood, who lost their basement struggle with North Devon.

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