Devon Cricket Board - Acton takes hat-trick and scores unbeaten ton on same day

Acton takes hat-trick and scores unbeaten ton on same day

ROSS Acton took a hat-trick and scored an unbeaten century as Bradninch defeated Budleigh Salterton by eight wickets.
Opener Elliot Rice made a patient 74 and Sam Richardson cracked 84 in a Budleigh total of 242 all out.
Rice was fourth out at 149 – caught and bowled by Paul Nott – having faced 105 balls and hit 11 boundaries.
Richardson joined Rice at 59 for three and the pair put on 90 for the fourth wicket.
Richardson then added 25 with Ben Carter and 58 with Greg Parks, whose knock of 18 was the only other double-figure score.
Will Squire took three for 46 before Acton returned for second spell and cleaned up the take on his own.
Part one of the hat-trick was former Bradninch team-mate Joel Murphy, followed by Joe Gore and last man Sam Fereday.
Acton finished with four for 15 from 7.4 overs – impressive bowling in anyone’s book.
Budleigh quickly realised it wasn’t going to be their day as Acton opened up with Charlie Walker and their stand knocked 195 off the target.
Walker led the way with 123, which came off just 81 balls and featured 17 fours and four sixes.
Acton, on 64 when Walker made his exit, dominated the next stand of 46 with skipper Dan Hardy, whose contribution was six.
When Hardy was run-out by Ben Carter the target was two to win.
Fittingly, Acton hit the winning runs when he belted Rice for four to bring up his maiden Premier Division century.
Skipper Hardy was almost lost for words after the match.
“Ross’s hat-trick was much needed,” said Hardy.
“We were staring down the barrel of 300 at one point so to keep then to 240 was excellent.”
On the first-wicket stand of 195, Hardy said: “Two amazing performances with the bat.”

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