Devon Cricket Board - B Division news - Martin has faith in Chudleigh

B Division news - Martin has faith in Chudleigh

CHUDLEIGH were so close to promotion last season it would be cruel beyond belief if they missed out again.

Jon Martin’s men are away to Thorverton determined to keep Ivybridge behind them.

“We are looking to win all our games and get promoted,” said Martin.

“I still believe we are the best all round team in the division by a long way.

“We will have a tough test in Thorveton this week so we will have to be on top form to continue to keep in touch with the top,”

Team news is that Ben Tuckett and Ben Holmes come in for the unavailable Simon Rooke and retiring Lance Ames.

Ames has decided to call it a day after spending nearly 30 years of Saturday afternoon’s turning out in the Devon League, firstly for Exmouth and since with Budleigh, Exeter St James, Chudleigh, Bovey and Chudleigh again.

Ames is one of the happy wanderers of the Devon League – James Hope, Andrew Codling, Terry Farkins Peter Lucketti and the much-travelled Chris Kelmere Senior - are some of the others – who have brought a bit of colour to the game over the years.

A combination of family pressures and work commitments have obliged Ames to call it a day.

“I lived in every town I played for apart from Bovey Tracey,” said Ames.

Happy wanderer Hope is now captain of Thorverton, who are only one place and eight points off the drop spots.

Hope knows his side have a fight on their hands – and his message is ‘bring it on’.

“With this stunning weather, all our squad is sweating confidence for the next seven games,” said Hope.

“The suncream is at the ready and we are all looking forward to making each of our remaining fixtures a battle for points.”

Gillam Crouch, and two past skippers back – Ali Fury and Gareth Hess – return to the side tomorrow.”

TAVISTOCK, now 17 points off second place after losing to Ivybridge, should bounce back against winless South Devon tomorrow.

Tavvy can beat anyone on their day – only they have topped leaders Lewdown this season – but have been inconsistent due to selection issue too often to be healthy.

“From now we are just going to play each game as it comes and enjoy ourselves,” said skipper Shaun Daymond, who returns to the side with James McGahey.

“We have a great side and we know what we are capable of.”

South Devon haven’t won a game yet this season and one of their issues has been continuity of selection.

Skipper Jonty Parsons said there is another reason South Devon struggle: they never play well in both halves of the game.

“As always we have got a lot of movement with Ali Wright, Tirun Joshi and Adrian Hewings coming back into the team this week,” said Parsons.

“Our main target is to try and merge the positive signs we've had with ball and bat.

“Whenever we are good with one discipline we seem to fall short with the other for reasons unknown.

“We will try to keep the enthusiasm and the competitiveness going at all times and still enjoy it.”

IVYBRIDGE go to Shobrooke Park looking to claw their way ahead of Chudleigh back into the top two.

Bonus points are the only difference between Chudleigh (176pts) and Ivybridge (172) in the three-way fight with Lewdown (189) for the two promotion spots.

“Promotion has to be the target but there is a lot cricket to be played yet this season so we are not looking past the tough trip to Shobrooke,” said captain Gareth Andrews.

“If the weather stays good we think we have a good chance of achieving our goals.”

Ivybridge will be unchanged from the side that won against Tavistock.

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