Devon Cricket Board - Plymstock stay on course for promotion place

Plymstock stay on course for promotion place

PLYMSTOCK stayed on course for a promotion spot when they defeated lowly South Devon by 64 runs.
Dom Wood lashed 113 and Jason Williams 85 in Plymstock’s total of 287 for three.
It looked enough against a side battling to avoid relegation, but few totals are safe if Neil Hancock gets going.
The former Devon captain has scored double hundreds in T20 games – ask Axminster about that one – and made a 28-ball half-century at Lord’s in an MCCA Cup final.
Hancock took 138 in 76 balls off Ivybridge three weeks ago- and he was up to his big-hitting tricks once more against Plymstock.
Plymstock were on the receiving end of 139 from 89 balls – 13 sixes, never mind the fours – and at 215 for five with 10 overs to go South Devon were closing fast on victory.
Then Hancock top-edged Jack Horton to Seb Jordan at short third-man and the dynamic of the game changed.
Horton took the next four wickets to fall as South Devon collapsed to 223 all out. Four wickets for eight runs.
It looked comfortable on paper, but former captain James Nicholls said it was anything but.
“When Hancock is in that sort of mood, you can’t bowl to him,” said Nicholls.
“Getting him out was key as, without being rude, we knew they didn’t have a lot to come after that.
“The way Hanks was going, another four or five overs and they would have been there. Luckily we got him when we did.”
Hancock’s batting blitz overshadowed a competent batting performance by Plymstock, who flogged the South Devon bowling around.
Wood and Williams put on 160 for the first wicket, then Jordan (61no) was Wood’s running mate in a stand of 97 for the third wicket.
Jon Martin (2-46) had the best bowling figures for South Devon. Spinners James Hart and James Allen struggled to stay below seven an over.

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