Passenger looking to clamber up table
TORQUAY skipper Ben Passenger is hoping the 10-wicket win over Budleigh Salterton is the springboard his side need to pull away from the wrong end of the table.
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 Richardson (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.
It’s  Bradinch away this Saturday followed by North Devon at home to round off the first half of the season.
Passenger said Torquay showed what they can really do against Budleigh. Now they have to do it more often.
“It was a pleasing result and one that was been a long time coming,” said Passenger.
“We bowled much more consistently and put in our best fielding display of the season.
“We held catches and put pressure on with assertive fielding, keeping the runs down and leading to run-outs,
An upbeat feel in the field enabled us to limit Budleigh to under 150 - then batters were positive from ball one.
“It was great to win by 10 wickets and to have an 18 point swing against another side in bottom half of table.
“Now we have to keep working hard in two more hugely important games, again against bottom-half teams, before the halfway point of the season.”

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