Devon Cricket Board - Exmouth off to Wimbledon in last eight of ECB T20 club comp

Exmouth off to Wimbledon in last eight of ECB T20 club comp

Exmouth pictured after their win over Bath in the West & Wales regional ECB Club T20 final
EXMOUTH are on their way to Wimbledon in the last eight of the NatWest ECB T20 Club Blast after winning the West and Wales regional final at Grampound Road in Cornwall.
Skipper Gary Chappell performed the hat-trick as Exmouth beat Bath by 39 runs in the first game of the round-robin tournament.
Exmouth had to beat Bath in the final game to be sure of qualifying – run rate would have been used had they lost – and did it by 15 runs.
So it is next stop Wimbledon on August 16 for the national quarter-finals, where Exmouth stumbled last year against Surrey side Ashstead.
If Exmouth can beat Wimbledon they will be off to Cardiff on September 1 for the Sky-televised semi-finals and finals at the SWALEC Stadium.
Exmouth found runs hard to come by against old adversaries St Just, whom they beat at the same stage of last season’s competition.
A running total of 43 for five in the ninth with David Lye just out for18 and Bob Dawson gone three balls later, wasn’t brilliant, but Sandy Allen (34) and Jon Evennett (26) raised the tempo with a stand of 36 for the sixth wicket.
Trevor Anning (11) helped Allen add another 30 for the seventh wicket as Exmouth advanced towards an eventual total of 121 for eight.
St Just soon got behind the asking rate – Chappell, Anning and Ian Bishop responsible – and were creeping into eight an over territory by halfway.
Josh Semmens (23) and Callum Donnelly (13) had a crack and had added 32 when Chappell dismissed Semmens in the last over.
Donnelly and Ryan Harvey went in successive balls as the Cape Cornwall outfit were bowled out for 102 by Chappell’s hat-trick
“We under performed with the bat against St Just, but thanks to Sandy and Evo got to a competitive total,” said Chappell.
“Then we started well with the ball and got them behind the rate and kept taking wickets at important times.
“It wasn't an easy pitch to slog on so when the rate got above eight it was always going to be tough for them.”
The win over Bath was far more straightforward and always looked on the cards after Exmouth posted 142 for seven.
Losing David Lye early wasn’t part of the game plan, but once Dawson, Chappell (15), Evennett (14) and Allen got going the total grew.
Dawson went in at 10 for one and came out at 97 for five having made 42,
Allen went in at 82 for four and was unbeaten on 43 when the overs ran out.
Bath went off in hot pursuit – they were 27 for none after thee overs – then ran into trouble against Lye (3-20) and Bishop (2-34).
From 49 for two Bath stumbled to 62 for six - Chappell getting in on the act by now – and there was no way back.
Chappell had three for 23 and Anning two for 22 as Bath were all out for 103 with five overs to go.
“We didn't get off to the start we wanted against Bath, but Bob and Sandy both got 40 which got us to 142 which was about a par score for that wicket,” said Chappell.
“Again we bowled well up top with Bishop and Lye getting their main men out.
“Then it was a similar situation where the rate got above eight an over and wickets kept falling.
“We bowled and fielded very well as a team and I couldn't have asked for more.”
Exmouth 121-8 (S Allen 34, J Evennett 26, D Lye 18; G May 2-19, J Semmens 2-18, G Thomas 2-11), St Just 102 (L May 15, J Semmens 23; G Chappell 5-15, T Anning 3-15). Exmouth bt St Just by 19 runs.
Exmouth 142-7 B Dawson 41, S Allen 43no, T Rouse 3-20), Bath 103 (W Jenkins 21, H Rouse 7; D Lye 3-20, G Chappell 3-23, T Anning 2-22, I Bishop 2-34). Exmouth bt Bath by 39 runs.

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