Devon Cricket Board - Six-to-win finish for Braunton + Heathcoat pushed all way + More

BRAUNTON took the first, faltering steps towards safety in the A Division with a two-wicket win over Abbotskerswell in a six-to-win finish.
Abbots made 256 for six at Kelsey with Marcus Green top scoring on 56.
Charlie Garrratt (46) and Guy Harrison-Roberts (41) put on 72 for the second wicket, then Green and Paul Acton (30) ensured the runs kept coming.
Wickets were at a premium with two each for Jon Higgs and Alfie Huxtable.
Braunton, boosted by the promotion of Mark Cresswell, set off in hot pursuit to set up an edge-of-the-seat finish.
Cresswell (91) and skipper Ian Roberts (74) wiped out 137 of the target, then Higgs (28) joined his captain to erase another 48.
Braunton got down to the final over from Abbots’ Ryan Williams needing 17 to win – and they got them in dramatic fashion.
Dan Crocombe (22no) was the man of the moment for Braunton, who needed three to win off the last ball and he smashed it for six!
Braunton remain bottom, but are only six points away from safety going to Plympton this Saturday.
Roberts said it was a first step, nothing else, but an encouraging one after five straight defeats and problems getting a 2nd XI together.
“We still have a lot of work to do if we are going to stay up, but it was nice to see the boys with a smile on their faces - long overdue,” said Roberts.
“I felt we did well to keep Abbots to 256. Jon Baglow (1 for 15 off 10) was amazing and showed how much we have missed him while he has been out.
“Cresswell batted really well. kept us up with the asking rate and proved he can get runs in this division.
Dan Crocombe bowled really well second spell to get rid of Green, who was taking the game away with his power hitting.
“Then to win us the game the way he did, when we thought the game was gone, was awesome.”
Abbots’ skipper Richard Acton said neither side deserved to lose what was a fantastic game of cricket.
He added: “We batted well to make 256, but in hindsight 10-15 more runs would have helped.
“Hats off to Braunton. They never gave up hope of chasing it down on a good pitch with short boundaries.
“There was not much more our bowlers could have done.
“We pulled it back well when they were 170 for one. We'll pick ourselves up and aim to bounce back with a win this Saturday against Hatherleigh.
HEATHCOAT had a close encounter at Barton before emerging 20-run winners to stay top of the table.
Former Somerset star Steffan Jones helped himself to 117 as Heathcoat totted up 273 for nine in 50 overs.
Sam Smith (57) made early runs for Heathcoat, who were 163 for six when Jack Menheneott came out to join Jones.
Menheneott kept one end going to make 19 while Jones made most of the runs at the other in a stand worth 98 for the seventh wicket.
Barton’s bowling figures were modest rather than spectacular with Adam Parker taking three for 44 and Husain Badat 2-26.
Barton had Heathcoat worried at 118 without loss after Badat (84) and Shaun Needham (81) got them off to a rip-roaring start.
Jones (2-41) got Needham after 71 balls, but Badat kept going and Tom Drake (38) chipped in as well.
When Barton were 216 for five they looked the likely winners. Then Jason Parr struck. Three wickets in an over turned the game Heathcoat’s way.
Parr took finished with five for 71 as Barton were dismissed for 253 with seven balls to go.
Winning skipper Smith said you know what’s coming at Barton and his team dealt with it well.
“As expected we had to fight to the end to get the result at Barton, a difficult place to win,” said Smith.
“They put up under a lot of pressure, but our quality in the field and depth with the ball won up the game at the death.
“At tea we knew 273 was a good score, but with the short straight boundary you never know.
“Barton got off to a flyer and gave themselves a chance, but we got better with the ball as the innings went on and deserved the win in the end.
“Steffan must be commended for his knock as he took responsibility and ultimately was the match winner.
“Jason Parr bowled a serious second spell, but it was our spin which made the difference in the middle where Jack Menheneott and Jean Rossouw are forging a strong partnership there.”
Heathcoat sit top of the shop by 15 points from Plympton going into this Saturday’s derby clash with Sandford.
Sandford were four players short of a full-strength side against Hatherleigh, but still managed to win by 25 runs.
Linton Terblanche made early runs for Sandford, but with Mark Lake (2-20) and Richard Cockwill (3-40) keeping it tight he was in the minority.
Matt Theedom made 22, which helped, but the key knock was made by Ryan Glass.
Glass hit 53 as he wrung 84 runs out of the last three wickets to get Sandford up to 192 all out.
Hatherleigh didn’t find run-scoring any easier and were well behind the clock on 56 for three after 25 overs.
Terblanche (2-36) and Jamie Palmer – 10 overs for 17 runs – gave Hatherleigh little room to manoeuvre.
Jack Cherrington (23), Simon Gillespie (27) and Cockwill (21) all got in and got out without playing the anchorman knock Hatherleigh needed.
Theedom (3-30) and skipper Simon Ashplant (2-32) sorted out the bottom of the order as Hatherleigh were removed for 167.
“Considering we had four players not available, three of whom should be back to play against Heathcoat, it was a half-decent performance,” said Ashplant.
“We didn’t bat our overs, which we have to do something about, but Glassie’s runs at the end were important.
“Our opening bowlers – Palmer and Linton Terblanche – bowled well to put Hatherleigh behind the clock and get us in a position to keep the pressure on and bowl them out.”
A MARK Abbott century wasn’t enough to see Plymstock to a win on the chase at Paignton.
Paignton managed runs all the way down the order in a total of 300 for seven, with Simon Edwards (55) and George Yates (69) showing the way with a stand of124 for the first wicket.
Plymstock had a good go at getting the runs – and until Abbot was dismissed at 242 for six with five overs to go the were in with a chance.
Paignton’s bowlers found renewed vigour after seeing the back of Abbot for 133 and ran through the bottom half of the order without too much difficulty.
Plymstock vice-captain James Nicholls said it was a defeat he could just about live with in the grand scheme of the season.
“The two games coming up – Brixham and Hatherleigh – are much more important for us to win,” said Nicholls.
“Paignton are a top side in the table and we can feel pretty happy with the way we played against them.
“Until around eight overs out we were the more likely side to win the game.
“Dave Orchard and Mark were going along really well and when they were together I thought we were favourites.
“Dave’s lbw decision looked a bit harsh – it was a bouncy track and I thought the ball was going over the stumps – but we lost him and Scott Mansfield in the same over, which didn’t help.
“We kept going for it all the way and it was still on until Mark got out. You could see the relief in the Paignton camp.
“It was a good deck and a quick outfield, so we knew Paignton would score heavily. We did well to get as close as we did.”
Abbot opened up with Ollie Mulberry, who didn’t last long, and when Tony Richards got out to Phil Allen Plymstock were 81 for two – and Richards had only made seven!
Orchard made 42 in a stand of 91 with Abbot that kept Plymstock in the game.
Nicholls kept an end going with Abbott at the other in a further partnership of 41 for the fifth wicket.
PLYMPTON stay second in the A Division behind leaders Heathcoat after romping home by six wickets against lowly Brixham.
Brixham were bowled out for 142 in the 49th of their 50 overs – Andy Lewin making a top sore of 43.
Ryan Skinner with four for 32 was Plympton’s best bowler, Pavi Mawalge and Josh Mailing chipped in with two wickets each
Plympton were never in any real bother knocking off the runs once Andy Walterr (20) and Josh Mailling (29) made a 43 run dent in the target.
Dave Wrench (24) kept the board ticking over, although Brixham’s Kyle Schroeder (3-22) did slow Plympton’s chase for a while.
Skipper Jeremy Williams (32no) and Wes Hartslief (20no) knocked off the rest in a stand of 53 unbroken. Hartslief didn’t hang about at the end, hitting all his runs in boundaries.
Williams said he was pleased with the improvement in the side since the start of the season, especially the bowling unit which is teeing up wins.
“Our bowlers have become very consistent and controlled in the lines they are bowling and performed really well,” said Williams.
“All of them played their part and I was happy that we bowled them out for 142
“Ryan Skinner again proved to be a handful for the lower order, picking up four for.
“We chased down a moderate total efficiently. Mailling and Walter got us off to a fast start with Wrenchy.
“Wes Hartslief and myself chipped-in in to see us over the line.”