Devon Cricket Board - B Division: Lewdown feel the heat

TAVISTOCK brought Lewdown back to earth after their record-breaking antics against Alphington seven days earlier with a seven-wicket win over their Moorland rivals in the top of the table clash at the Ring.

Lewdown remain top, but only on games won, as Tavvy are now level with them on 216 points.

Tavistock won at Lewdown when the sides met earlier in the season and proved emphatically it was no fluke in the rematch.

Lewdown haven’t been bowled out too often this season, but with Jamie Stephens taking three for 30 and two each for Travis Muller and Shaun Cleave they were dispatched for 185.

Phil Yeo mad 30, Jack Williams and Mark Jordan had 26 each while record-buster Marco Marais had an off day. He was out for 13.

“He hit one straight to me at mid-on off Chris Hutchins and luckily it stuck,” said winning captain Shaun Daymond.

Off went Tavvy in hot pursuit, led by Ian Gray (28) and Aaron Churchill (59no) with 62 for the first wicket.

Churchill and Dave Manning (37) added 79 more for the third wicket to seal the win with more than five overs to go.

A Lewdown title is no longer the formality it has looked for most of the season, as skipper Harry Geering readily admits.

“If Tavistock have no selection problems I can't see them losing another game, so we know we need to win four out of five now to secure promotion – starting at Chudleigh this Saturday,” said Geering.

“Poor preparation, mixed a poor shot selection and a slow pitch favouring their spinners cost us at Tavistock.
“We didn't bowl too badly, but a couple of big shouts early on didn't go our way.

“Instead of being a couple down for single figures, with momentum with us, Tavvy had a good opening stand which made the chase a lot easier for them.

“All in all we got ourselves out and were basically out-batted.”

CHUDLEIGH are now breathing down Lewdown’s necks at the top of the B Division table after crushing South Devon by 10 wickets at Kate Brook.

Bottom side South Devon had hoped the derby atmosphere would lift them into a performance, but it wasn’t to be.

Sean Day and Ben Holmes took four wickets each as Chudleigh dismissed South Devon for a measly 92.

James Hart, Ryan Maunder and Jonty Parsons managed a run between the at the top, Dave Knowles (24) and Richard Beaumont (19) put on 47 for the fourth wicket but when Rob Clarke bowled Knowles it was calypso-collapso time.

Four wickets went for six runs – Day taking three of them – and despite resistance from Lewis Darby (29) South Devon were all out after 32 overs.

Knocking off the runs was embarrassingly easy for Chudleigh. Derek Perry (56no) and Ed Foreman (26) did it without mishap inside 15 overs.

“The day went about as well we could have planned,” said Chudleigh skipper Jon Martin.

“Firstly we won the toss on what was a rain-threatened day then bowled them out for less than 100.

“Then we went out and knocked off the runs off for no loss inside 15 overs before the rain came.

“A bonus was the returning Derek Perry scoring 50 not out and four bowlers taking a share of the wickets.”

For South Devon it was a pointless afternoon – they came away with nothing – while Chudleigh banked a 20-point maximum to go level with Lewdown at the top.

IVYBRIDGE defeated Stoke Gabriel by three wickets to keep the B Division top two in their sights.

It was a close-run thing though as victory was only achieved with two balls to go.

Stoke opener Ian Coulton (46) put on 46 with Seb Ansley (12) and 59 with skipper Josh Dowling before he was the first of three wickets for Jeewan deSilva.

Dowling kept going to make 55 – his stand of 60 with Matty Taylor (18) anchored the middle order – and there was a chip in from Andy Betram (16) near the end toward the total of 209 for seven.

Ivybridge got off to a 63-run start though Andy Johnson (29) and Gareth Andrews, who was third out at 100 for exactly 50.

Sri Lankan deSilva carried the chase along at a brisk pace, reaching 90 off 79 balls.

By the time Dowling (2-29) trapped deSilva lbw, the target was eight to win off seven balls.

Ivybridge stay on station in third place 20 points behind joint leaders Lewdown and Tavistock.

Stoke are one place and two points clear of the relegation places – and four points behind Thorverton, who visit them this Saturday.

“We with two balls to go so it was a tough one to swallow,” said Dowling.

“We thought we had enough on the ball, however our bowling team didn't execute as well as we could.

“Jeewan showed his class with a great batting performance. We tried our best and that is all I can ask.

“Thorverton is going to be a massive game for us this Saturday.

SHOBROOKE Park could count themselves luck to come away from Alphington with the bulk of the points from rain-ruined game.

For had Alphington batted for one more over they would have won the game hands down on run rate.

Fortunately for Shobrooke, the kick-in point for run-rate in the B Division is 19 overs and Alphington were 86 for four after 18 when rain stopped play.

Youngster Dan Pyle shored up the Shobrooke innings with a knock of 71. He was third out at 108, Phil Anning was next best on 27.

There were two wickets each for Alphas skipper Stuart Shaw and Danesh Raheja.

Alphas’ Paul James was 21 not out when the rain came.

Shobrooke Park are at home to Barnstaple & Pilton this Saturday, looking to follow in the steps of Thorverton.

Thorverton went to Barnstaple last time out and came away with a three-wicket win.

It was a close-run thing for James Hope’s side that was only sealed midway through the penultimate over.

“It was a positive run chase which will hopefully galvanise us for the rest of the season,” said Hope.

Thors were glad of a match-winning 54 from ‘new’ overseas player Kody Griggs for getting them over the line.

Griggs has been with Thorverton before – 2008 and 2009 when he was leading run scorer and wicket-taker on both occasions .

When Kiwi Luke Boyadijian had to go home recently due to illness, Thors sent an SoS to Griggs who got over from Australia as soon as he could.

Barnstaple made a respectable 229 for five with Ed Yeo (43) just shading top scorer ahead of Tom Popham (41) and Brady Saunders.

The Pophams – Tom and Jack (30) posted 76 for the first wicket then Saunders and Yeo notched 93 for the third. Lee Cole was 25 not out at the end.

Wickets were shared between Gillam Crouch (2-45) and Nick Barton (2-23).

Thors got up and running with a stand of 60 between openers Paul Fielder (36) and John Farley.

Griggs went in at four, helped himself to 54 and went at 147 for five to a catch by Sam Lathwell.

Skipper Hope larruped a breezy 47 to finish the chase.

Victory lifts Thorverton six points clear of the bottom two going into the basement clash at home to Stoke Gabriel immediately below them this Saturday.