Devon Cricket Board - B Division - Lewdown out to make a point

B Division - Lewdown out to make a point

SHOBROOKE Park are looking for a new skipper mid-season following the unexpected retirement of South African Justin Dollow.

Dollow will make a farewell appearance against Tavistock this Saturday, but that’s it.

Said Dollow: “I have decided to hang up my boots and the game against Tavistock will be my last for the foreseeable future.

“I have enjoyed my years at Shobrooke and having now picked up a couple of good new players, I am sure they will do well the rest of this season.

“Thanks to all the boys and I wish them all the very best for the future.”

Shobrooke run into Tavvy on a good day as quickie Chris Hutchings is absent, as is big-hitting left-hander Dave Manning. Josh Stephens and Lee Baker come in.

Tavvy skipper Shaun Daymond has been watching Shobrooke’s progress over the season and views them as a real threat.

“They have really come on since their bad start to the season and look like a team to compete for promotion,” said Daymond.

“If we play like we did against Thorverton we could be in with a shout for points.

“It is a tight division this year and how we do in games like this could make the difference between finishing second or fifth.

LEWDOWN entertain Ivybridge in the match of the day in the B Division.

Lewdown are currently top of the shop, which is where Ivybridge were until they were rained off against Chudleigh last Saturday.

Harry Geering, the Lewdown skipper, has both Williams brothers back from college as well as Tallen Burns. However, all-action Gary Sizmur is missing, as are Phil Yeo and Tom Pengelly.

Geering is looking forward to proving his side are top on merit., but accepts Ivybridge will feel the same way.

“Ivybridge have been the surprise packet this season and are a bit unlucky not to be top still,” said Geering.

“They deserve a lot of respect and we need to play well and hopefully show why we aer top and why we deserve to remain there.

“It should be a good, competitive game. I hope a full one is played without interference from the weather.”

Ivybridge have a couple of changes with of-spinner Adam Birch and Pete Abraham coming into the side for Josh Zimmerman and Charlie Horwood,

“With three of them in the side we are looking to spin to win,” said skipper Gareth Andrews.

Elsewhere in the B Division, Chudleigh are at home to Barnstaple & Pilton.

STOKE Gabriel will be looking to make the best of their date with struggling South Devon as they strive to get away from the B Division basement.

Thorverton (78) and South Devon (40) are the only teams below Stoke (84) as the season approaches the halfway stage.

Stoke have had an up and down season – stringing wins together seems to be a problem – and skipper Josh Dowling admits he is a little puzzled as there are no superstars or makeweights in the team.

“Unlike a few others we are not a one of two-man team – far from it,” said Dowling./

“Everyone is chipping in, which is absolutely fantastic.

“Kris Davis’ spin bowling has made a huge difference – if he is not taking wickets his economy is brilliant.

“But the table doesn’t lie and we are in the bottom three. We certainly won’t be taking South Devon lightly.”

Stoke are strengthened for the game by the return of all-rounder Richard Lake.

ALPHINGTON could do with a pick-me-up against Thorverton at the Chronicles after losing by three wickets at Barnstaple.

For another defeat would damage the 13-point safety net between Alphas and the bottom two, dragging them into the relegation scrap.

Skipper Stuart Shaw isn’t too worried yet, for one simple reason.

“We aren’t actually playing that badly,” said Shaw.

“What we had was a close result that went against us at Barnstaple. We pick ourselves up and move on.”

Team news from the Alphas is that Tom Bath and Lee Rowe come in to bolster the batting and bowling respectively.

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