Devon Cricket Board - Premier Division: North Devon aim for the top

NORTH Devon skipper Matt Dart believes his side’s transformation from strugglers to contenders will be complete if they beat Exeter at Instow this Saturday.

Barely a month ago North Devon were struggling to get out of the bottom two, where they were rubbing shoulders with Budleigh Salterton.

Five wins later North Devon are fifth in the table – and in realistic touching distance of leaders Exmouth.

The latest of those wins was a 143-run verdict over Budleigh at Ottermouth last time out.

Dart stopped short of suggesting a late run for the title, although he might be thinking it.

But a win over Exeter will fuel hopes of being in the mix at the end of August.

“It’s five in a row now and we seem to be getting better week after week,” said Dart.

“Beating Exeter would certainly make it interesting for us as that would put us right in the leading pack.

“Once you are up there all sorts of things become possible as it doesn’t take long to wipe out a 20-point deficit.”

North Devon made 263 for seven in their 50 overs, then bowled out Budleigh for 120 in reply.

Dart said the encouraging aspect was that Budleigh were bowled out by everyone other than pro bowlers Tom Allin and Glenn Querl.

“They didn’t take a wicket between them – or bowl all 10 of their overs,” said Dart.

“It is nice to have both of them on board as they bring something to the team – in Glenn’s case a 50-ball 93 against Budleigh.

“But it is encouraging we can bowl sides out without Tom or Glenn getting any one out.”

North Devon only have South African U19 star Jason Smith for another three games, then he goes home for a series against Sri Lanka.

However, Rob Gear and Dan Bowser who both missed the game against Budleigh should be back this Saturday against Exeter.

North Devon’s front five dominated the Budleigh bowling with Matt Kidd (3-54) and Joel Murphy (2-39) taking most of the wickets to fall.

Matt Plowman’s one for 34 from nine overs was as cheap as it got.

Querl’s 92 in a stand of 104 with Allin built on the foundations laid by Barney Huxtable (59), Smith (23) and Max Curtis (26).

North Devon removed Dawson four balls into the second over, then followed up with Elliot Rice and Stuart Langridge in a running total of 17 for three.

Matt Westaway (3-43) got Dawson and Rice with Langridge run-out by Curtis after some good work by him in the covers.

James Burke kept going to make a top score of 52, but couldn’t find anyone to stay with him longer than Plowman, who made 10 in a stand of 40.

Smith (2-17) got into the middle order, then Dart mopped up the stragglers on his way to figures of two for none.

SEB Benton and Sandy Allen both passed 80 as Exmouth beat Sidmouth by three wickets to take top spot in the Premier Division.

Bovey Tracey were top of the table on games won, but dropped bonus bowling points in their win over Cornwood, which let Exmouth go past them.

Sidmouth totalled 237 for eight in their 50 overs with runs most of the way down the order, but nothing better than Peter Randerson’s 49 off 40 balls.

Opener Matt Cooke got a patient 44 at the top and when he was fourth out at 112 in the 34th over Sidmouth needed some oomph!

Randerson, Luke Bess wit 43 and Nick Gingell who made 37 off 25 balls got the board moving again.

Wickets-wise there were two each or Trevor Anning, Gary Chappell and Lawrence Greenway.

Sidmouth gave Exmouth a real run for their money before conceding defeat with five balls of the final over to come.

Charlie Miles (2-27) and skipper Will Murray (1-40) kept it tight, but Josh Bess, Cooke and Dom Bess all found it hard as Exmouth nibbled away at the deficit.

Opener Allen – dropped three times before reaching 20 – made 81 off 98 balls with 60 in boundaries. He was third out at 156.

Benton had put on exactly 100 with Allen before he went and carried on with Andy Buzza then Anning as the target came down.

By the time Lewis had Benton caught by Gingell for 82 the target was 28 in nine overs and the game over as a contest.

TORQUAY steamed away from the Premier Division drop zone courtesy of a six-run win over Exeter on the Recreation Ground.

The City side came unstuck against Torquay on their own ground earlier in the season and arrived at the seaside looking for revenge.

However, Exeter got down to the last over needing 15 to win and that proved too tall an order.

Victory opened up a 31-point safety buffer for Torquay over Bradninch in the second relegation position.

Torquay started badly with opener Tim Western bowled first ball by Billy Searle.

Dan Kruger (25) and Mickey Wilkinson (34) hoisted 57 for the second wicket, then Matt Thompson and Matt Hunt added 58 for the fourth.

Thompson went on to make 57 before he was fifth out on 203 – the second scalp for Blake Reed (2-37).

Along the way Thompson shared a partnership worth 78 with brother Joe, who went on to make a top score of 68.

Hunt, playing his first game of the season for Torquay had already fallen for 30.

Bowling honours for Exeter were hard to find, although Matt Hicks 10 overs for 37 runs stood up well against the rest.

Reed batted through for an unbeaten 105 in the Exeter innings – and when he was involved in a stand of 91 for the third wicket with young Ben Green an away win looked likely.

Losing Green for 51 – the middle of Ben Passenger’s three wickets – proved crucial to the outcome.

Four wickets fell for 20 runs – including one to wicketkeeper Matt Thompson, who handed the gloves to brother Joe to bowl a bit of seam up and trapped Hicks lbw.

Dan Wightman (3-48) kept the screw tight in his second spell as the overs came down and the asking rate went up. Exeter ran out of time on 230 for eight.

BOVEY Tracey are off the top of the Premier Division despite beating Cornwood by six wickets.

For dropped bonus points – Bovey were unable to bowl out Cornwood for a 20-point maximum – allowed Exmouth to take top spot on the strength of their win over Sidmouth.

Mark Horwell compiled a patient 67 which topped up the total after Chris Parker (39) and Ryan Rickard (41) helped Cornwood to 98 for two.

Chip-ins from Jason Hall (31) and Ben Warren kept the board moving along.

Pick of the bowlers economy wise were Chris Bradley (10-0-27-1) and Damian Bourke (2-31).

Adam Goodliffe nicked out Peter Bradley early on and Elliot Staddon (2-42) removed Sam Wyatt-Haines (23) and 43 for two.

Aussie Bourke took over from then on, striking an unbeaten 103 to see Bovey to a comfortable win with five balls to spare.

Matt Golding (27) helped out, but it was stand of 101 between Bourke and Neil Hancock (52) that broke the back of the chase.

Cornwood may have lost at Bovey Tracey, but their position at the bottom of the table hasn’t worsened.

For Plymouth did them a favour by beating fellow strugglers Bradninch – and Budleigh Salterton obliged by losing to North Devon.

The Corns remain one place and 16 points clear of the drop zone, helped by maximum batting points from a total of 234 for six.

PLYMOUTH got back to winning ways after two defeats thanks to an eight-wicket win over lowly Bradninch.

Bradninch captain Tim Piper cranked up emotions before the game with some ‘well-chosen’ words, which only served to motivate the city side.

“Plymouth seem to be struggling of late,” Piper was reported as saying.

“We know they have a few stand-out players that we should be wary of, but we know enough about them for it not to bother us too much.

“People have been telling me they may challenge for the title this year, but that's just laughable really and the last few weeks have confirmed that.”

Piper had to eat his words after Bradninch were bowled out for 118 in the 34th of their 50 overs – Greg Maher (32) and Jackson Thompson (20) having the only scores of note – with Dave Burke (2-31) and Marnus Labuschange (4-16) doing the damage.

Bradninch lost their last six wickets for 23 runs as their batting crumbled.

James Toms and Callum Whittaker got Plymouth off to a 31-run start. Toms fell lbw to Ross Acton – a big stride down the pitch not saving him from umpire Jim Hicken’s raised finger.

Whittaker carried on to make 46 and when he was second out at 92 the chase was almost over.

Labuschange (33no) and Jake Luffman (15no) saw Plymouth to victory.

Piper said: “I thought it would be a closer game, that's for sure.

“We won the toss and batted first on what appeared to be a fairly good deck.

“It wasn't quite as good as we thought, but we batted poorly and only had ourselves to blame.

“Lack of application when batting meant that partnerships were hard to put together.

“A lot of us gave it away after getting off to good starts.

“It will be easy to put it behind us though and we are ready to move on to the next game.

“We had a decent chat after the match, as a team, to focus our minds on the task in hand for the rest of the season.”

Matt Hooper, the Plymouth captain, said Bradninch were left in no doubt his side meant business from ball one.

“Dave Burke, Rob Bennett and Sam Stein set the tone for a clinical performance with the ball,” said Hooper.

“The wickets were always falling, although there were boundaries to be had on a very quick outfield.

“Once we got Jackson Thompson it was fairly plain sailing.

“It was left to Marnus to finish the innings off on a turning pitch, he was unplayable.”
Hooper said Bradninch couldn’t blame anyone other than themselves for the outcome as the Plymouth wicket was first rate.

“Our boys showed how good the pitch was by nearly wrapping it up before tea,” said Hooper.

“Callum batted brilliantly and deserved a 50; he is batting with real confidence.

“James has been on the receiving end of some rough decisions recently but that is only making him more hungry for runs. I think a hundred is just around the corner.”
Bradninch’s season continues this Saturday with a home game against fellow strugglers Budleigh, who are the only team below them in the Premier table.