Devon Cricket Board - B Division - South Devon nine points from promotion

B Division - South Devon nine points from promotion

B DIVISION

SOUTH Devon are only nine points away from promotion back to the A Division after a resounding nine-wicket win over Thorverton at Marsh Road.

Thorverton were skittled out for 132 by Tom Carter and Pat Duke with four wickets each.

Blake Charlton made 50 in a stand of 50 for the eighth wicket with Nick Barton (27), which rescued Thorverton from 80 for seven. They had been 22 for four.

South Devon had victory wrapped up inside 25 overs for the loss of Henry Burningham for 55 with the score on 93. Dave Baldock (29no) joined Carter (46no) to knock off the rest.

Plymstock are already up despite slumping to a 49-run defeat against Barnstaple.

It’s either South Devon or Chudleigh for the runners-up slot with one game to go. South Devon visit Axminster while Chudleigh head for Barnstaple & Pilton.

At the other end of the table, Axminster still need four points to be sure of a place in the B Division next season after they left Chudleigh with a battling losing draw.

The hosts batted first and closed on 174-7. That was a very respectable score given that after 23 overs they were a laboured 50-2 with former Devon player Mark Richard sending down a superb spell of 13 overs that saw him return figures of 2-29.

Gary Larcombe finished with 3-44 and there was a brace of wickets for Nick Taylor.

Axminster raced to 25-0 then saw three wickets fall in quick succession before Tristan Wakeley and Joel Seward steadied things to take the total to 100.

When Wakeley departed for 40, Seward stuck around and was unbeaten at the close on 40. Axminster lost two wickets in the final over as they made desperate efforts to bag another batting point, something they failed to do, closing on 121-9.

Skipper Paul Miller said: “We battled hard to make sure we did not lose the game for that was the order of the day.

“We clearly need four points and I am confident that, if we apply ourselves at home to South Devon, as we did at Chudleigh, then we’ll do what needs to be done.”

With Clyst St George consigned to the drop it leaves Axminster, Chagford and Dartington and Totnes battling it out to avoid slipping into the C Division.

Chagford and Dartington meet on Saturday and if Chagford fail to win then it won’t matter what happens to Axminster in their last game with South Devon.

Plymstock needed three points against Barnstaple & Pilton to go up – and that’s all they got in a disappointing display.

Barnstaple recovered from a shaky start to make 124 for six in a 35-over game – Tom Popham (56) and Steve Moore putting on 38 unbroken for the last wicket. George Barnicott had three for 30.

Plymostock nosedived to 52 for six in reply with Jack Popham (5-24) and Henry McEndoo (4-17) doing the damage.

Skipper Dave Orchard’s 20 was as good as it got in a sorry total of 75 all out.

Clyst St George are definitely down after they were five-wicket losers against fellow strugglers Chagford.

And it looks like Chagford will be going with them, unless they can beat Dartington & Totnes this Saturday.

D&T are the team Chagford have to get ahead of to stay up –and if they claim seven points from the match there is nothing Chagford can do to save themselves.

For Clyst, who only stayed up by the skin of their teeth in 2010 with a last-day win over promoted Shobrooke Park, going down isn’t the end of the world.

“Having had two seasons of barely winning a game, it probably won’t do any harm if we drop down,” said skipper Matt Cook.

Pete Weatherhead (42) and Steve Bourke (29) were Clyst’s main run-getters in a tally of 159 for seven. Jeremy Christophers took four for 39.

Matt Bowes, promoted from the 2nd XI, clattered 84 and David Penberthy 28 not out as Chagford romped home.

Dartington preserved the gap between them and Chagford when they defeated Tavistock by 57 runs.

After Kalon Veale (34) and Ian Bransdon (27) were dismissed, D&T collapsed from 72 for three to 123 all out. The last five wickets went for 16 runs.

Sean Cleave (4-32) just pipped Jamie Stephens (3-23) in the wicket-taking stakes.

Tavistock go in a mess against Ryan Stevenson (3-10) and Bransdon (3-12) and at 46 for six were going nowhere. Harry Baxendale (2-35 ) helped finish them off for 66,

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