Devon Cricket Board - Torqauy need eight points in two games to confirm title

Torqauy need eight points in two games to confirm title

TORQUAY have the Premier Division title in their grasp after routing Exmouth by 148 runs at the Recreation Ground.
Opener Mitch Pugh and Devon captain Matt Thompson both made half-centuries as Torquay totalled 240 for six in 50 overs.
Max Waller took four wickets and Nick Watkin three more as Exmouth were skittled out for 92 with nearly 20 overs to go.
Torquay are now 33 points clear of second-placed Sidmouth with two games – Bovey Tracey (A) and Plympton (H) – to play.
If Torquay don’t get the eight points they need at Bovey this Saturday, they can feel confident of taking them off relegation Plympton at the Rec on the final day of the season.
Skipper Justin Yau said: “The title is virtually ours – it would be a disaster to lose it from here.”
Pugh and Thompson put on 131 for the first wicket as Exmouth struggled to keep the in check.
Pugh was first out for 70 – bowled by David Lye (2-28) with Thompson following for 58 at 153 for two.
“Mitch and Matt played beautifully to get us a score which was probably 100 over par,” said skipper Yau.
Three wickets went relatively cheaply – Thompson, Yau and Sach Galhenage – as 153 for one became 171 for four.
Waller (30), Ryan Stevenson (20) and Joe Thompson (16no) put on 69 in the last 10 overs to keep Exmouth chasing leather in the field.
Exmouth’s innings fell apart in the time it took the to slop from 42 for two to 63 for five and on to 84 for seven.
Sandy Allen opened up with 24, Dan Pyle (15) and Bob Dawson (14) made modest contributions, but other than 16 from Lye there was little resistance.
Watkin (3-21) and Waller (4-19) ran through the middle order as Exmouth collapsed – their last four wickets going for just eight runs.
“We bowled well and were clinical in our performance," said Yau.
“It was great to se Nick Watkin in the wickets again – it was a job well done and shows how far we have come this season.
“It would be great to wrap it up at Bovey Tracey and we will do everything we can to get eight points out of the game
Bovey will be a tough side and are the only one we have not beaten the year.
“We will be at full strength for them and I am confident of making it nine wins on the spin."
Opposite number Gary Chappell said: “We weren’t at the races.

“We bowled and fielded poorly, the batted poorly too. We ere outplayed by a better team.

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