Devon Cricket Board - D Division - Weather gods frown on Feniton

FENITON can be forgiven if they are thinking the cricketing gods are against them!
The Acland Park men were once again in a great position at Filleigh when the rain came to wash away any chance of securing a result that might have gone a long way to securing their D Division status

Mark Kingdom was the top scorer with 48, but back in the hutch along with seven of his team mates as Feniton had got to 210-8, when the rain arrived to end play prematurely, just as it had done seven days before in the meeting with Countess Wear.

The eleven points that Feniton banked from the game mean that, although they remain rooted to the foot of the table, they do still have Halberton and Sampford Peverell and Countess Wear still within range with four games to go and a possible 88 points up for grabs.

Those last four games for Feniton see them host Uplyme and Lyme Regis this Saturday before a home game with Halberton and Sampford Peverell. They then go to Seaton before ending the campaign at home to Ashburton on the final Saturday of the month.

The other two relegation-threatened sides have similar difficult run-ins. Halberton and Sampford Peverell host promotion chasing Shaldon next, then go to Feniton before entertaining Honiton and ending the season at Uplyme and Lyme Regis.

Countess Wear host Filleigh on Saturday then go to Uplyme and Lyme Regis, travel to Clyst Hydon and finish off with Seaton at home.

HONITON ended any lingering fears of being dragged into a relegation scrap over the closing weeks as they comprehensively defeated visitors Countess Wear.

Kev Kelly (3-27), Charlie Wright (3-30) and skipper Adam Holmes (3-34) combined with real force to bundle the hosts out for 139.

Harry Wright picked up the other wicket.

Phil Tansley then struck a sweet unbeaten 54 and the best of the rest of the contributions came from Holmes (22no), Pete Matravers (20) and Kev Kelly (17) as Honiton eased to a five wicket win.

Holmes said: “We bowled very well. The wicket played consistently and what was required was to get the ball into the right areas, something we did consistently. I was confident at the break that we had the wherewithal to get over the line and so it proved with a good all-round effort.

The win leaves Honiton two places and 23 points clear of the bottom two with four to play.

Holmes says: “I’d like to think that’s the ‘r’ (relegation) word made redundant at Mountbatten Park. Of course we are not mathematically safe, we do have the table toppers (Bideford) next after which there is still another three games, but this was a big win over Countess Wear and I am confident that we are now going to be at this level again next season.”

Regarding Saturday’s trip to Clyst Hydon Holmes says: “They have a very good overseas player who I fancy most teams fear. Having eased our worries with the Countess Wear win I fancy we’ll be more relaxed for this game and I expect us to give a good account of ourselves.”

Seaton saw their D Division promotion hopes take a hit as they became the latest side to lose to champions-in-waiting Clyst Hydon.

Ben Morgan’s side put up more of a fight than most who play the Mid Devon side and were eventually beaten by just 34 runs.

Mike Wheeler (2-35) and Chris Aplin (2-38) were the principle wicket takers as the home side were restricted to 175-6.

Nick Beedell then top scored with 49 and Alex Hunt chipped in with 27 as the reply got close, but not close enough, with the final wicket falling on 141.

However, despite the defeat Seaton remain just 16 points shy of second placed Shaldon who were well beaten by Uplyme and Lyme Regis.

On Saturday Morgan’s men host Ashburton before travelling to Shaldon seven days later. They finish their campaign playing two relegation threatened sides, Feniton and Countess Wear.

UPLYME and Lyme Regis produced the result of the day in the D Division as they defeated promotion chasing Shaldon by 100 runs.

However, it needed some batting heroics from the middle and late order to prevent them being rolled over for a small score!

With three wickets down and just 12 runs on the board the side were in big trouble and even at 97-5 an early finish looked on the cards.

However, the middle and late order had other ideas. Number eight bat Matt Brimmacombe ended unbeaten on 50 whilst number five bat Alex Taylor hit 48, next man in Adam Caddy chipped in with 28 and skipper Steve Batey weighed in with 34 as the innings closed on 200-9.

That proved to be plenty enough for the win to be sealed as Adam Caddy bowled superbly to claim yet another five-fer.

Called into action as the second change Caddy sent down a ball shy of seven overs and claimed 5-25 whilst Jack Lamb-Wilson picked up 3-29 and there was a wicket each for Neil Price and Steve Batey as the home team were bowled out for 100. Mark Batey held four catches.