Devon Cricket Board - A Division previews - Cousins out for Paignton + Mailling in for Plympton

A Division previews - Cousins out for Paignton + Mailling in for Plympton

LEADERS Paignton, at home to Plympton are without Mickey Couzens so Mark Smth steps up from the 2nd XI.
Plympton bring in all-rounder Josh Mailling for Craig Miles, who is on holiday
“Selection was very quick and easy this week as the team is playing well and is coming off three straight wins and feeling confident after last Saturday's win,” said Plympton skipper James Carr.
“If we play like we have been for past few weeks then we every chance of beating Paignton this Saturday.
“Hopefully it will be a good match.”
Brixham, away to Lewdown, recall George Northcott for Josh Newman.
Michael Meech in for Paul Heath, who is resting his knees
“Looking to bounce back from defeat last week by Plympton where we came up against a very good overseas in Wes Hartslief,” said Brixham captain Andy Pugh.
Lewdown lost to Abbotskerswell last time out and are also looking for a bounce-back win.
“Disappointing to lose last week but with a lot of inexperience in the side we made it a close game considering,” said captain Harry Geering.
“This week we have Dave Ball. Ant Weeks. Jack Williams, Phil Yeo and nick Hayden all away.
“Replacements pending as second team have a must-win game.”
Hatherleigh captain Mark Lake is feeling the pressure ahead of the trip to fellow strugglers Chudleigh.
“A massive week end for us,” said Lake.
“We can't take any other result than a win
“It’s just that simple. We can't afford to be 50-plus points behind after this week end.
“The boys know this and I hope everything puts in a performance that will allow us to get a win.”
Danny forrester is in for Ruben Forrester in the only change.
Chudleigh are close to full strength with the Heathers – Matt and Will – Shaun Newland and Ben Holmes all returning.
Chudleigh are 45 points adrift at the bottom already with the halfway stage two games away.
Hatherleigh are the next side up, but it is Abbotskerswell that Chudleigh have to get in front of to survive.
“We knew that there was going to be no easy games in this league so the fact that Hatherleigh are close to us in the table does not mean anything,” said Chudlegh captain Ed Foreman.
“I am not putting any pressure on the boys to win. I only want them to do themselves justice and to keep on learning this season.
“For the most part they are doing this so I am happy.”
Abbotskerswell, at home to Budleigh, have Hugo Whitlock and Marcus Green available so they come in for Paul Acton and Raghav Pratap.
Alex Birt replaces the unavailable Callum Stanley.
“It’s great to be at full strength for the tough game against Budleigh,” said skipper Richard Acton.
“We gained a lot of confidence from the win against Lewdown, especially with the batsman scoring runs.”
Budleigh need a win to arrest a slide down the table, which has seen them go from second to fifth in a fortnight.
Leaders Paignton beat them by one wicket last time out, a result skipper Joel Murphy felt was avoidable.
“We did all but win it,” said Murphy.
“It thought 230 was about par for the day and conditions, them they were 70 for none in the first 12 overs and you have to think again.
“We got them seven down and I thought then we could go on to win. To be fair to George Yates and George Benton they batted well at a difficult time to keep Paignton in it.
“We did our bit too by giving Paignton 30 wides. That’s far too many and in the context of that game was the difference between winning and losing.”
Medium pacer Adam Jones comes in for Ed Doble in the only change of personnel.
Second-placed Barton, buoyed by their win over Hatherleigh, take on Bradninch in confident mood.
“I am looking for us to put in another strong performance this Saturday if we are going to put back-to-back wins together and keep amongst the top group in the division,” said skipper Adam Parker.
“There are still areas to improve on and we will need to be at the top of our game in order to come away from Bradninch with a win.”
Bradninch are on a winning run – Brixham, Paignton, Chudleigh – and the mood in the camp couldn’t be chirpier.
“Barton next and then Budleigh - two teams at the top of the table,” said captain Tim Piper.
“We haven't played at our best yet but if we win both those games we will probably finish the first half of the season on top of the table.
“We're on the right path to returning to the Premier Division at the first attempt and now we are starting to find some consistency, we probably should.”

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