Devon Cricket Board - Plymouth looking forward to Booker Cup final derby with Cornwood

Plymouth looking forward to Booker Cup final derby with Cornwood

SIDMOUTH’S season looks like being potless after they bowed out of the Booker Wholesale Devon Cup to Plymouth.
The Fortfielders seldom come away empty handed from a season, either winning the Premier Division, the Devon Cup or the Devon T20 title – or sometimes more than one!
Sidmouth have had some 1^st XI silverware on display at the end of every season since 2006 – a record to be proud of.
Unless something dramatic happen in the next three weeks though to revive their prospects of retaining the Premier Division title, there will be a gap in the Fortfield trophy cabinet.
Mike Simmers top scored for Plymouth with 46 in their total of 160 all out. His stand of 64 for the first wicket with John Hale was as good as it got.
Ben Stein (26) and George Stephenson (20) chipped in, but only one other batter got past 10.
Plymouth’s last five wickets only managed 27 runs between them.
There were two wickets each for Liam Lewis, Andy Mathieson and Jake Fawcett.
Sidmouth lost wickets early – they were 20 for three – which left Pete Randerson (23) and Anthony Griffiths to mount a rescue act.
Wickets fell regularly to Hal Kerton (3-24) and Ben Stein (3-28), but not Griffiths, who kept going.
Griffiths was last man out to Kerton in Sidmouth’s total of 134 all out – their last five going for exactly 30.
“We batted really badly or, more accurately, we didn’t adapt to the conditions,” said skipper Will Murray.
“Plymouth isn’t Sidmouth to bat on, but we seemed to think we could play the same shots through the ball and the boundaries would come.
“What happened was we got ourselves out caught square of the wicket, or were bowled driving on the up.
“The target was something for Plymouth to defend but not a great one. Perhaps we were a bit complacent.”
Plymouth 160 (M Simmers 46, B Stein 26; L Lewis 2-20, A Mathieson 2-17), Sidmouth 134 (A Griffiths 46, P Randerson 23; B Stein 2-28, H Kerton 3-24).
BARTON’S hopes of Booker Devon Cup glory disappeared when they lost by five wickets to Cornwood in the semi-finals.
Barton’s total of 107 all out always looked on the low side, and so it turned out.
Cornwood needed less than 16 overs to knock off the runs and book an appointment with Plymouth in the final on August 23 at Heathcoat CC.
Barton’s best partnership of their innings was a stand of 32 between Aqeel Ahmed (21) and Adrian Hewings (16).
Skipper Adam Parker made 20 earlier in the innings.
Craig James and Jason Hall kept it tight when they bowled. Craig Harris mopped up wickets at the end to finish with four for 16.
Jackson Thompson made a brisk 56 as Cornwood set off in hot pursuit.
Thompson went at 81 for three, leaving Matt Skeemer (24) to see Cornwood up to the line.
The scores were level when Kyle Lardner teased out Skeemer. Harris took a single off the next ball to win it.
Barton 107 (A Ahmed 21, A Parker 20; J Hall 2-10, C Harris 4-16), Cornwood 108-5 (J Thompson 55, M Skeemer 24; S Bowker 2-24).

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