Devon Cricket Board - Torquay move further away from drop zone

Torquay move further away from drop zone

TORQUAY put some more distance between themselves and the wrong end of the Premier table when they defeated Bradninch by seven wickets.

Bradninch were bowled out for 93 in the 41^st over – Jack Bradbury picking up three wickets for 11 runs.

There was a big hole in the Bradninch order where Jackson Thompson has been all season - the former Gloucestershire and Unicorns batter was unavailable – and Torquay were quick to cash in.

Opener Dan Hardy made 32 and Ross Acton at five chipped in with 24. Those were the only double-figure scores in the Bradninch innings.

Bradninch’s new boy opener Greg Maher was out to the first ball he faced – Nick Watkin doing the honours – and the same bowler accounted for skipper Tim Piper.

Somerset’s Max Waller, making one of his infrequent appearances for Torquay, had Hardy caught by Tim Western at 61 for four and when Acton went at 77 for five the rot set in.

Bradbury and Jack Richardson (2-3) polished off the stragglers as Bradninch lost their lst five wickets for 11 runs.

Torquay couldn’t claim it was entirely plain-sailing as they were two for two with openers Tim Western and Des Kruger both dismissed by Acton.

In-form Mickey Wilkinson and Waller took the score up to 87 for three, by when it was game over.

Piper dispatched Wilkinson for 46, but Waller (35no) and Matt Thompson knocked off the last seven needed with the minimum of fuss.

That’s two wins on the spin now for Torquay, who are now three places and 15 points clear of the drop zone.

Bradninch are hovering one place and three points ahead of Cornwood in the second relegation place.

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