Devon Cricket Board - A Division: Sandford snatch second place

A DIVISION

SANDFORD made sure of promotion from the A Division with a resounding 133-run win at Brixham – Russ Discombe making 96 not out - to end their three-year exile in the A Division.

Survival rates aren’t good for promoted sides – it is a big step up – but Sandford captain Matt Theedom isn’t going to loose any sleep over it for a week or two.

“We will savour the moment, then start planning for 2012,” said Theedom.

“It is a great achievement for the club and we are over the moon to have been promoted.

“In the same breath, we are realistic about the challenge ahead of us next year.”

Discombe was the anchorman the rest batted around, Had Theedom not declared three overs early he would surely have made a century.

Discombe and Theedom (43) put on 79 for the first wicket and Adrian Small (39) hung around to make 103 for the third.

Discombe vaded 124 balls and hit 10 boundaries.

There were two wickets eac h for Brixham bowlers Rhys Dallow and Mike Barron.

Brixham wobbled to 107 for five with Anthony Marr (41) and Mark Gilmour (28) the main run getters.

Darryl Mortimer (4-22) applied the early pressure for Sandford, then Simon Ashplant (5-30) spun out the tail as the last five wickets went for a run each!

Exeter skipper Jon Tipper isn’t dwelling long on the reasons why his side missed out in promotion to the Premier Division by a point.

Although Exeter won at Barton by nine wickets and collected a 20-point maximum, they could not get past Sandford into second place.

After the low point of losing to Abbotskerswell by 10 wickets just before the halfway stage, to finish third was a good effort.

Tipper was quick to congratulate unbeaten champions Torquay and Sandford on getting up – and plans to follow in their footsteps next season.

“I am extremely proud of the team and all involved,” said Tipper.

“The club has had a fantastic season as the 2^nd XI were runners up in their division and the 3^rd XI won theirs.

“The season is only slightly tinged with disappointment at not getting promoted, but nevertheless it has been good fun and worthwhile.

“We have seen a number of young players come through this season – Alex Bosomworth and Cameron Grainger for instance - which can only put the club in a stronger position.

“I can't wait for next season to com e around.”

Barton – 33 for five after an early battering from Merryck Steward (3-11) got to 94 for seven thanks to a battling half century by Sean Adderley.

Adam Gribble (2-15) knocked over the stragglers as Barton slipped to 117 all out.

Rob Holman then hit 57 not out as Exetr cruised to victory in 24 overs and sent Barton down in the process.

Down with Barton are Alphington, whose game away at Braunton was abandoned due to bad light.

The Alphas had to stay ahead of Shobrooke Park to avoid going down, but missed out on batting bonus points and it cost them.

Shobrooke didn’t finish at Abbotskerswell – bad light also the cause – but had nine out of 10 bonus points which took them past the Alphas.

Alphington captain Mark Porter said the result at Braunton capped a bad month for the team, who underperformed too many times which put them in ultimate jeopardy.

“At 70 for two against Braunton chasing 145 with 22 overs to go we were very confident of winning the game,” said Porter, who is returning to Australia soon and won’t be back next season.

“We let ourselves down badly the last month and deserved to go down.

“I a stepping down as skipper and wont be around next season, but I am sure with a new committee in place - as well as the kids I played throughout the season - it wont be long until they bounce back.”

Natha Caton-Robertson took four for 53 and Tom Bath three for 57 as Braunton wer e held to 144 for eight in a 35-over game. Jas Kalsi made 48 for the home side.

Dave Haysom made 36 for Alphas before the light went.

Shobrooke stuck around at against Abbotskerswell to claim a life-saving 1§5 points.

Abbots – 15 for three at one stage – recovered to make 245 all out thanks to a ton from captain Josh Dowling (113). Marcus Green made 28 and Chris Kelmere 21.

Pick of the bowlers with four for 68 was Aussie Ben Stockden. Cliff Dare and Phil Anning bagged two wickets each.

Shobrook were 182 for eight when the umpires called a halt with Dare undefeated on 22. Earlier, Anning made 34 and Ben Trenaman 33.

South African Ricky Lake had three for 16 while Aaron Hearne had two for eight at the end.

Sandford

Cornwoood did something no one else has managed all season – bowl them out early – but the newly crowned champions still went on towin.

Matt Butterworth and the retiring Kevin Willcock, who has decided to call it a day, took four wickets each as Torquay were bowled out for 131.

Justin Yau made 29 – and generous Cornwood chipped in with the same again in extras – but after that it was downhill all the way from 97 for five for Torquay.

With Robin Dart (30) and Ben Warren (22) making runs, the Corns zig-zagged from 59 for none to 62 for three then 99 for five.

That should have been a winning position, but Torquay are undefeated champions for a reason and showed why.

Nick Watkin (5-46) and Jon Rice (4-44) sent Cornwood to 128 all out to give Torquay victory by just three runs.

Cornwood skipper Craig Harris said he wasn’t too disappointed by the outcome as he didn’t have his best side on the park.

“To bowl Torquay out with a depleted team was amazing,” said Harris.

“We probably should have won, but learned a lot in losing.

“With our youngsters more experienced there are positives to take forward into next year, when I expect the league to be a bit more competitive.”