Devon Cricket Board - B Division

THORVERTON collected the anticipated win over whipping boys South Devon in an embarrassingly one-sided game.
South Devon were bowled out for a paltry 95 with Jerry Crouch taking five for 27.

Adrian Hewings made 23 and Henry Burningham 26, which does not leave much from the rest.

Paul Fielder slammed an unbeaten 60 as Thorverton wrapped up victory before tea.

South Devon are at home to fellow strugglers Barnstaple & Pilton this Saturday – not a game they will relish as B&P trounced promotion hopefuls Tavistock by nine wickets last Saturday.

South Devon are at home to fellow strugglers Barnstaple & Pilton,

Lewdown’s relentless march towards the A Division continued last Saturday with a 95-run win over Shobrooke Park.

Marco Marais followed his ton against Ivybridge with 138 not out as Lewdown amassed 303 for two declared.

Gary Sizmur (63) and Dave Ball (36) put on 76, Sizmur and Marais added another 86 then skipper Harry Geering (43no) put on 141 unbroken with the South African.

Shobrooke’s bowling stood up pretty well under the onslaught, although Phil Anning will want to forget his four overs for 61 runs.

Shobrooke realised early on their best bet was to go for maximum batting points and they achieved that in a total of 208 for nine. Chris Simpson top scored on 81.

The wickets were shared around with two each for Matt Witcher, Charlie Hughes and Mark Jordan.

Chris Ford, the Shobrooke skipper, said it was not a result he would be losing too much sleep over.

“Marco Marais is a Premier-quality batsman and makes what is already a decent side a cut above anything in our division by a mile,” said Ford.

“We dropped Marco in the 30s – it was a dolly, but we have all put them down - and if you take the next hundred off he shouldn’t have scored we were not far apart.

“”We pushed early but lost early wickets and regrouped to go for 200 and maximum points.

Shobrooke face promotion hopefuls Chudleigh this Saturday in another tough fixture.

Ford hopes to have batter Cliff Dare back for the first time since early May now he is over an injury.

Ben Tremaman is out due to injury, which leaves Shobrooke a bowler short, however Ford hopes to lure former captain Justin Dollow back for one game to help out.

Chudleigh are riding the crest of a wave after demolishing Stoke Gabriel by eight wickets.

Stoke skipper Josh Dowling described Chudleigh as ‘the best team we have seen this season’ although his side’s game against leaders Lewdown was rained off.

Opposite number Jon Martin was flattered by Dowling’s praise, but said Stoke were unlucky to catch his team at their best.

“After losing the toss on a pitch that had ‘bat-first’ written all over it, to bowl them out for 139 was a fantastic effort,” said Martin.

“It was probably the best we've bowled this year - and to knock off the runs two down topped off a great, all-round team performance.”

Stoke were all-out for 139 against the visitors with Dowling (26) and Matt Taylor (33) the only batters to linger long.

Martin (3-15) and Sean Day (3-25) were the leading wicket takers.

Matt Heather (48no) and Scott Schaw (26no) were there in the 34th over when Chudleigh knocked off the runs.

Lance Ames, reappearing after a break from the game, chipped in with 30.

Alphington could do with a win over Stoke Gabriel after a defeat by Ivybridge dropped them into the bottom two.

The Alphas were on the receiving end of a Jeewan daSilva century – he made 140 – and 65 from Josh Zimmerman in a total of 304 for seven.

The Sri Lankan hadn’t finished with Alphington either as he then took five or 39 when they batted.

Andy Shepherd made 59 and Tom Bath 25 as Alphington reached 244 all out to claim maximum batting points.

BARNSTAPLE & Pilton showed they can live with the best in the B Division on their day with a thumping nine-wicket win over promotion hopefuls Tavistock.

Henry McEndoo led the wicket-taking effort with three for 33 and there were two wickets each for slipper Steve Moore and James Thomas as Tavistock were bowled out for 152.

Tavvy were 68 for two – Ian Gray (27) among the runs – them slumped to 116 for nine with James Stevens (27no) the only batter to resist.

Barum set off in hot pursuit with the Popham brothers – Tom (59no) and Jack (62) opening up with a stand of 132.

Dave Milligan (6no) was there at the end.

Victory keeps Barnstaple one place and one point ahead of Alphington in the second relegation slot.

The fight to stay up continues this Saturday with a trip to winless South Devon.

“We played well and it was a pleasure to see us perform to the standard we did,” said Moore.

“I am under no illusions that survival is our aim this season and the next two games – South Devon and Shobrooke Park are crucial to us.

“It will make our live that much easier if we take most of the points from those games.”

Tavvy skipper Shaun Daymomd said it was a setback, but one his team deserved.

“Barnstaple bowled very well throughout our innings and we struggled to get them away,” said Daymond.

“They batted very well and, all round they performed where we were poor.”