Devon Cricket Board - Premier: North Devon savour title triumph

PREMIER DIVISION

NORTH Devon captain Mike Hedden would love to have a crack at the Devon county side next after the lads from Instow beat Exmouth by four wickets to claim the Premier Division title.

Exmouth were all out for 191 in the last over, which North Devon chalked off with four balls to spare.

North Devon have been out in front for so long it was only a question of how many games to spare they would win it in.

But for a rain-off at Plymouth seven days earlier, the title would already have been under lock and key before Saturday.

Hedden said the all-round strength in the side had shone through week after week, and he believed North Devon could give Devon a run for their money.

“I look around the dressing room and don’t see a weak link in the team,” said Hedden.

“Everyone has been a match winner at some stage and no one can say we rely on a couple of players or our overseas player Glenn Querl.

“Querl has had a phenomenal season – 56 wickets so far – and been a great around the club working with the players.

“The Overton twins, Neil Betts, Dan Bowser, Rob Gear, Matt Westaway – in fact everyone has done something to win a match.

“With the side we have, a game against the county team could be very interesting…”

Exmouth laboured at first – they were 29 for three after an early duffing up from England U19 star Craig Overton (3-51) and Querl (4-34) – but recovered with Anthony Radunovic (50) Richard Baggs (43) and Andy Buzza (31) leading the way.

Bettis (44) with Bowser at the other end took North Devon to 102 for three.

Baggs had Bettis stumped, but Bowser was dug in for the afternoon and batted through with assistance from Querl (16) and Alex Smith (14).

Bowser clobbered David Lye back over is head for six into the pavilion car park to win the match with two balls to spare and finish on 76 not out.

PLYMPTON’S predicament in the relegation danger area took a turn for the worse when they lost by three wickets away to fellow strugglers Heathcoat and dropped into the bottom two.

Imran Ali Pasha and Jamie Pfeiffer both made 27s to get Plympton moving again after they had slumped to 62 for six.

Even so a total of 130 for seven in 47 overs wasn’t enough, not that Plympton rolled over too easily for their relegation rivals.

Pfeiffer (3-43), Pasha (2-40) and the uber-impressive Josh Mailling (2-19 in 15 overs) kept Heathcoat honest to the end.

Defeat drops Plympton into the bottom two with one game to go – a tricky one at home to Bradninch.

Heathcoat, currently four points ahead but with a Wednesday night discipline hearing hanging over them, are away to Exmouth in their last game.

Plympton captain Andy Walter was almost lost for words in the aftermath of the defeat at Heathcoat – almost, but not quite.

“This was a massive game, so I can't think of a word to describe Bradninch this Saturday,” said Walter.

“It was a bad toss to lose and bat first, but we were outplayed.

“Although we bowled well up front we needed to take early wickets, which we didn’t.

“It was a difficult deck to bat on. I thought 130 was a competitive total and so it turned out.

Heathcoat skipper Liam Lewis (2-36), who is up before he bench of bat and ball on Wednesday to answer dissent charges arising from last Saturday’s win over Bovey Tracey, combined with Paul Elliot (2-21) to put Plympton under the cosh early.

Mailling fell over trying to keep out an Elliot leg-cutter and was stumped before he could get back on his feet.

The catchers did their jobs – Heathcoat didn’t hit the stumps in the match – as 38 for two became 62 for six.

Pasha and Pfeiffer saved the situation with a stand of 39 which ended when the Pakistani all-rounder smashed a short ball from Jack Menheneott (2-39) to Lewis in the covers.

“I had to catch it, otherwise it would have hit me right on the nose,” said Lewis.

Heathcoat lost wickets steadily on the chase, but couldn’t shift opener Chris Small which didn’t help.

Pfeiffer got Small eventually, but Lewis dug in after coming in at 70 for four to make a match-winning 18 not out.

Justin Williams (16) chipped in, leaving Steve Harding to smash Pfeiffer for four through the covers to win the game with four balls to go.

BUDLEIGH Salterton’s hopes of a second-place finish in the Premier Division foundered when they crashed to a nine-wicket defeat against visiting Bovey Tracey.

With Devon duo Bob Dawson and James Burke not available, skipper Sandy Allen had to rework the batting order and quickly found his side were 17 for three!

Allen made 43 – he and Jack Dart (17) put on 45 for the fourth wicket after Elliot Rice went for 21 at 48 for four – and Lloyd Murrin went on to make 18.

Zaid Joseph took four for 27 for Bovey and Danny Childs two for 31before Chris Bradley (2-29) knocked over the stragglers.

Charlie Morris rearranged Chris Clayton’s furniture in the second over, which was the only wicket Budleigh claimed.

Skipper Peter Bradley (57no) and brother Chris Bradley (53no) wiped out the rest of the deficit with little or no trouble.

Pete Bradley smote six fours while Chris had eight fours and a six.

With one game to go – Sidmouth this Saturday – Bovey can finish no higher than third.

Budleigh, who wind up at home to North Devon, could steal third place at the death if they win and Bovey lose.

BRADNINCH banished the lingering threat of relegation once and for all when they trounced doomed Paignton by seven wickets at Kensham Park.

Veteran seamer Paul Nott – 48 last birthday and still going strong – had Premier best figures of seven for 61 as Bradninch bowled out Paignton for 176.

Gary Chappell’s none for 32 from 15 overs kept the pressure on from the other end.

Fit-again Andy Kingdon made 56 for Paignton – how they have missed him this season – and opener Steve George chipped in with 20, but otherwise it was bits and pieces from the Paignton batters.

Knocking off the runs was a cakewalk for Bradninch, who were home and dry within 43 overs.

Opener Ross Acton made 89 – he and Tim Piper (27 got Bradninch off to a 76-run start – then skipper Chappell made 33 undefeated to wrap it up.

Acton collected 12 fours and two sixes in his 130-balls stay, which ended with 19 needed to win.

Chappell said Acton batted as well as he had seen him all season, which was just as well in the context of then them.

“I wanted to keep Paignton to 130-140, but we were not ruthless enough and let them get too many,” said Chappell.

“Kingdon batted well and 175 was a decent score on a slow turning track.

“We batted well, got off to a flier and had them on the backfoot from the start.”

PLYMOUTH were left hanging on for a draw against outgoing champions Sidmouth, who didn’t make any new friends at Mount Wise.

Will Gater crashed 85 off 53 balls with two fours and 10 sixes – ruining Nick Read’s bowling figures along the way – as Sidmouth got to 208 for five in 40 overs.

Plymouth were never in the hunt after slumping from 60 for two to 86 for six in reply, which left the draw as the only option.

Charlie Hill was last man out to the final ball of the match from Sidmouth spinner Matt Cooke as Plymouth pottered along to 135 for nine. The result means Sidmouth claim the runners-up spot.

Whittaker had few complaints about the result – but wasn’t impressed by Sidmouth’s attitude.

The two teams meet again at Bovey Tracey this Sunday in the final of the Devon Cup, when Whittaker will be out for revenge.

“My side were on the ground from 8.30 in the morning for the clear-up operation to get the game on – one we didn’t need to play but Sidmouth did,” said Whittaker.

“I was pretty disappointed Sidmouth did not even stay for a beer after a cracking game as a show of respect for all the hard work our boys put in to get a game on.”

Whittaker said dropping Gater on 20 was a slip that came back to haunt his side, but he wasn’t losing sleep over it.

“Cricket is a tough game sometimes but we need to learn from the mistakes we make and get back to doing the simple things well which we did last year,” said Whittaker.

“We have come far with a number of new youngsters making their way in the side, but they need to stand up a play tough, disciplined cricket if we are to compete in the final against Sidmouth.

Opener Josh Bess hit 66 for Sidmouth - George Stephenson’s pin-point throw ran him out at 155 for four – but Gater was responsible for the real sparks

Gater went from 0-50 in 31 balls and savaged Read for 45 in his last two overs.

Plymouth were sold rather than spectacular with opener Jake Luffman making 23 of the first 60 in untypically slow style.

Doug Hewitt made 40, but the only other double-figure score was Matt Hooper’s 19.

Gater showed why he has been in a couple of recent Devon squads with two for 38 on top of his runs.

Highlights in the field including three catches for Sidmouth’s Jamie Wardrop – one a 30-yard effort on the run to remove Hewitt.