Devon Cricket Board - Ivybridge fall short on chase

Ivybridge fall short on chase

IVYBRIDGE continue to struggle at the wrong end of the table after going down by 12 runs to improving Axminster.
Axminster made 210 for eight – Matt Pile top scoring on 88 – then bowled out Ivybridge for 198 in reply.
Defeat leaves Ivybridge level on points with Axminster, one off the bottom of the table.
Gareth Andrews, who led a late rally by Ivybridge to snatch the game, didn’t try to make excuses.
“It was a very disappointing performance all round with dropped catches again,” he said.
“But we still should have knocked off 210 on a low but pretty good batting wicket.”
Axminster belied their lowly position with a confident batting performance from the front line.
Only Gary Larcombe of the recognised batters missed out as Ivybridge struggled for wickets.
Brad Cross (30) and Pile got the score to 80 for one, then Sam Farrow (31) added 87 with Pile as Ivybridge chased leather.
Five wickets fell for 29 runs at the end - Jeewan de Silva (3-22) doing the damage – as Axminster threw the bat.
Ivybridge looked like chasing the total down until they lost Andrews with five overs to go.
Josh Zimmerman (27), Andy Johnson (30), de Silva (25) and Abraham Kopparambil (24) made steady inroads.
Andrews came in at 109 for six and with Kopaparambil and George Thompson at the other end got the target down to 26 to win with five overs to go,
Then Andrews got out for 39 and the last few runs proved too much for the tail.
For Axminster skipper Paul Miller it was close to a complete performance with the benefits of hard work on practice nights paying off for his youthful side.
“The young lads stepped up and delivered,” said Miller.
“Bradley Cross at the top of the innings went well and Matt Pyle had brilliant innings and bowled great.
“Sam Farrow’s was a great knock after losing three quick wickets.
“David Field and Gary Larcombe bowled with great control and pulled the game back in our favour.
“Then Sam Farrow wanted to bowl his leg-spin at the death when they needed five an over for the last eight with there skipper and Kopparambil going well,
“I don't think we dropped a catch, which is down to Dan Murnane's fielding drills at practice.
“Overall, one happy captain and hopefully we can keep building on the last couple of weeks.”

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