Devon Cricket Board - Budleigh maintain quiet pursuit of top two

Budleigh maintain quiet pursuit of top two

TAVISTOCK still need at least one more win to be certain of dodging the drop after suffering a four-wicket defeat against Budleigh Salterton.

Skipper Shaun Daymond went into the game looking for two more wins to be on the safe side – but hadn’t bargained on relegated Bideford beating fellow strugglers Lewdown.

Lewdown, who occupy the second drop slot, are 26 points behind Tavistock with three games and 60 points to go.

The two sides meet at Lewdown on the penultimate Saturday of the season, which could be a nail-chewing affair if the gap gets any narrower this weekend when Tavvy visit Cornwood and Lewdown go to Bradninch.

Opener Dave Ball, who joined Tavvy from Lewdown mid-season, hit a top score of 50 in Tavvy’s total of 186 all out.

Ball struggled to get anyone to stay with him for long and when he was seventh out at 97 it looked like Tavvy’s tail wouldn’t survive for long

Jamie White (36) and Shaun Cleave (28) had other ideas though and their ninth-wicket stand of 65 made the scoreline much more respectable.

James Leat (3-55) had wickets in the bottom half of the order. Sam Fereday (2-38), Joel Murphy (2-30) and Cephas Zhuwao (2-23) struck in the top half.

Tavvy got a dream start after tea when Budleigh opener Eliot Rice went first ball to Jay Stevens.

Ben Phillips (8) and Andy Procter (28) put on 53 for the second wicket, helped by some of the 15 wides Tavvy threw their way.

Procter and Phillips went in the space of four balls as Tavvy got a toehold in the game, briefly.

A stand of 57 between Zhuwao (45) and Sam Richardson (38) got the chase back on course.

Richardson kept going to 164 for six, leaving Ed Doble (24no) and Murphy (5no) to wrap things up.

Jay Stevens (2-36) and Jamie Stephens (2-39) were Tavvy’s most effective bowlers.

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