Devon Cricket Board - B Division: Coulton bats though innings

SHOBROOKE Park lost for the first time in four outings when they were 16-run losers at Stoke Gabriel.

Opener Ian Coulton carried his bat for 55 in a Stoke total of 154 for nine which was better than it looked on a damp day.

Jack Tolley chipped in with 12 and there wasn’t much from the rest.

Pick of the bowlers with wickets was Ben Trenaman (3-25) while new signing Mike Dixon had two for 32 on his debut.

John Sweeney bowled well without too much rewards.

Shobrooke were all out for 138 in reply – a closer finish than seemed likely when they were struggling at 60 for six.

Dave Bolland (4-21) did the early damage with Kris Davis (2-29) backing him up.

Mike Searle (56) and Dixon (23) affected some sort of comeback, but bringing Adam Castle (2-5) into the attack killed off Shobrooke once and for all.

After three wins on the spin it was a disappointing result for Shobrooke skipper Justin Dollow, who will be looking to make visiting South Devon pay this Saturday.

“Our batting was poor in the top order and there some poor running between the wickets later on,” said Dollow.

“On a positive note, Mike Searle batted well again and nearly pulled off a miraculous victory after being 53 for five.

“After three years out of the game, John Sweeney bowled two decent spells and Mike Dixon impressed with bat and ball.

“It was just one of those days when nothing went to plan. I am sure it was just a hiccup so am confident we will do much better against South Devon.”

CHUDLEIGH got back to winning ways when they won by 30 runs at Tavistock.

Defeats by Lewdown and Alphington knocked Chudleigh off the top of the table - and when they were 11 for three at the Ring things didn’t look like improving.

A stand of 188 between Sean Day (85) and Rob Clarke (85) got Chudleigh going again with Day still there in the final tally of 217 for five.

Ian Grey (2-14) was the only bowler to take more than one wicket, although Jamie Stephens (0-25) and in particular Aaron Churchill (1-13) kept it tight.

Tavistock lost Grey to a run out in the first over, but reached 56 through Churchill (28) and Tim Pope (20) before running into more trouble.

Three wickets fell for six runs added, among them hard-hitting Dave Manning for just two.

Sean Cleave (25) and Shaun Daymond, who larruped 78 off 66 balls, got Tavvy back in contention at 178 for six before it all went wrong again.

Daymond’s demise – run out by Clarke – sparked a terminal collapse which saw the last four wickets tumble for just seven runs.

Jack Vittles finished with three for 44 and there were two for Clarke, who had two run outs as well.

It is leaders Ivybridge next for Chudleigh – and skipper Jon Martin can’t wait.

“We showed the strength in depth we have in both the batting and bowling,” said Martin.

“It was good to see a bit of fight when the game could have gone either way, which is all I asked.

“Now we go on to a big game away to Ivybridge.”

ALPHINGTON overpowered South Devon by 116 runs to claim back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

Nathan Bright top scored with 63 – he and Paul James (48) put in 110 for the fifth wicket – as Alphington raced along to 263 for nine.

Dave Haysom’s bright and breezy 51 not out helped the score along at the end.

South Devon found wickets hard to come by, although Jonty Parsons did take three for 69 in eight overs and there were two each for George Burningham and Richard Beamont.

South Devon were all out for 147 midway through the 35th over – a total which looked unlikely when they were 56 for five.

Burningham made 21, but it was Parsons with a gutsy 65 who staved off total collapse.

There were three wickets each for Paul James (3-45) and Dinesh Rajeha (3-31) – a player South Devon considered signing earlier this season.

Alphington skipper Stuart Shaw said his team put a patchy batting start behind them to register a comfortable win.

“Some sloppy batting early on led to some excellent batting from Nathan Vright and Paul James,” said Shaw.

“Haysom, on 37 going into the last over of the innings, hit 15 runs to bring up his 50 and the total of 263.

“I felt the total was going to be too much for South Devon to chase down and always felt we were in control.

“Some good bowling from Neil Maud again and Dinash got us started. Always nice to put together back-to- back wins.”

IVYBRIDGE got the brake on Thorverton just in time to stop them running away with the game at Filham.

The Bridge went on to win by six wickets which was enough to put them top of the table at Lewdown’s expense.

“Considering some of our team got lost arrived on the ground at 1.20 - plus our keeper got a ball in the face just before the start - so we fielded with 10, we did well,” said Ivybridge skipper Gareth Andrews.

“They were 70-0 after the first eight overs, so to bowl them out for 220 was a superb effort as that was about 30 short on a good deck.

Thors got off to a decent start with Ali Fury (44) and Paul Fielder (43) posting 83 for the first wicket.

Fielder went first, followed by Fury 20 runs later to spinner Harry Solomon.

Harry Choules was the middle-order anchorman, sharing combined stands worth 105 before he was fifth out at 188 for 51.

Jeewan deSilva, who ran out Choules, was the pick of the bowlers for Ivybridge with three for 32. Kelvin Trent took three for 50 as Thors mustered 219 all out.

Ivybridge knocked the runs off with four overs to spare – Sri Lankan de Silva leading the way with 86 not out off 76 balls with 11 fours and three sixes.

Skipper Gareth Andrews made 62- he and de Silva put on 60 for the third wicket – then Trent (26) joined for a stand of 96 which got the target down to nine to win.

While Ivybridge have been installed at the top of the table, moving past Lewdown by a point, Thorverton are two places and four points clear of the drop zone with Tavistock coming this Saturday.

Vice-captain Dave Baldock, dropped to the second team last Saturday, looks set for a recall after finding his form again with 88.

Thorverton skipper James Hope said: “Yet again we made a solid start but wickets fell in clumps and we need to change that quickly.

“More application is needed when we bat to give the bowlers the kind of support they are giving the batters week in week out.”

BARNSTAPLE & Pilton paid for a slow start at Lewdown, where they lost by four wickets.

Jack Thomas (39) and Jack Popham (27) posted 61 for the first wicket and with Henry McEndoo (39) and Lee Cole (39) contributing 75 for the fourth a total of 180 for seven was posted.

Lewdown broke the back of the chase thanks to Gary Sizmur (66) and Marco Marais (42 off 35 balls). Matt Witcher’s 16 not out clinched it.

McEndoo (2-44) and Thomas (2-23) were the leading bowlers for B&P

“We bowled good lines, but they never really tried to take us on,” said Lewdown skipper Harry Geering.

“With six overs to go they had seven wickets in hand, which is a lot at that stage of a game.”