Devon Cricket Board - Heathcoat push Plympton to the brink

Heathcoat push Plympton to the brink

HEATHCOAT pushed Plympton closer to the point of no return by beating them by four wickets at Harewood House.
Plympton have yet to win a game this season – and are 54 points adrift in the second relegation spot.
Unless Plympton start winning soon, they could be resigned to relegation by the first week in August as there won’t be enough games left to stay up even if they won them all.
Heathcoat, after a dodgy spell in late May and early June, are now up to fifth in the table with 43 points between them and the danger end.
Opener Josh Mailling batted more than two hours for 43 as Plympton made 176 for nine.
Mailling was sixth out with the score on 113 – Devon Lions team-mate Jamie Drew cleaning him out – ending a stand a 38 with Owen Gannon.
Gannon (21), Alex Carr (29) and Ross Farrer with 24 not out at the end moved the score along after a mini-slump from 113 for five to 122 for eight.
Pick of the bowlers for Heathcoat with two for 16 from 10 overs was Western Province pro Brad Barnes.
Jack Menheneott bowled a tidy 10-overs for 20 runs and the wicket of Tom Johnson.
Heathcoat reached 37 without loss in reply, them lost openers Toby Lochead (9) and Dylan Penberthy (18) in the space of three balls to Johnson and Mailling respectively.
When dangerman Sam Smith went at 65 – Dom Mulberry the bowler – Plympton were getting a toe-hold in the game. But not for long.
Jack Dart (19) and Barnes put on 53 and from then on it was only a question of time.
Plympton had their successes – Jason Williams and Sam Maunder went cheaply – but Barnes made an unbeaten 70 off 79 balls to win the game with more than nine overs to go.
It looks clear-cut, but Heathcoat vice-captain Lochead wasn’t so sure.
“It was a potential banana skin avoided and an important 19 points,” said Lochead.
“Plympton will win a game this season and we have done well to make sure it wasn’t us.
“The pitch was very slow, and we were lucky we had four spin options to choose from.
“We fielded and bowled poorly and have to be more clinical and kill sides off when we get them in a situation.
“We allowed Plympton to get to 175 when they should have got 120. At half way they had a chance.”
Lochead said losing early wickets put pressure on the Heathcoat middle order, which will have to change if they are going to achieve their top-three target.
He added: “Brad (Barnes) showed his experience and how good a player he is by batting through and winning us the game.
“Torquay this Saturday is a massive game now, and we are confident about picking up a result there.”
Plympton skipper Jamie Carr said Barnes was fortunate to last as long as he did and on another day the game might have had a different outcome.
“I felt we were 25 runs short but still in the game,” said Carr.
“Josh, Owen, Alex and Ross batted brilliantly to get us to what we got.
“We didn't bowl as well, gave away too many four balls and extras.
“We felt we didn't get four or five decisions when bowling which on other days you arer getting and when your bottom unfortunately you don't get those decisions.
“Three of them were for Barnes and had we got him I backed us to finish them off.
“People may think ‘sour grapes’ but I never complain about umpires.
We just felt much didn’t go our way. Heathcoat bowled well and Barnes batted well but, in our opinion, he shouldn't have been there to win the match for them.”

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