Devon Cricket Board - A Division - Murphy 'appalled' by Budleigh batting

BUDLEIGH Salterton skipper Joel Murphy is looking for his batsmen to show some stickability this Saturday when Abbotskerswell visit Ottermouth.
Budleigh’s promotion prospects suffered a setback when they lost by nine wickets to table-topping Paignton – a result never in doubt after they were bowled out for 57.
The only crumbs of comfort for Murphy were that promotion rivals Bradninch and Plympton both lost as well, so the damage was minimal.
However, with Paignton now 21 points clear at the top, the three chasers are playing for one place.
Murphy has never targeted promotion this season – and after being bowled out for 57 perhaps Budleigh aren’t ready for it anyway?
Murphy wouldn’t be drawn on that question but agreed the batsmen were the architects of their own misfortunes.
Said Murphy: “The only word to describe the way we batted was ‘appalling.’
“Our running between the wickets was eccentric and we played some dreadful shots.
“Most of the season we have batted well and I am prepared to put it down as a one off. But it must not happen again.
“Whether we go up or not this season is irrelevant. What is important is we bat properly and show what we are capable of.
“I have never played in a game that is over in two and a half hours before –and don’t want to again.”
Only two players reached double figures for Budleigh: Luke Peterson (13) and former Somerset pro Ben Phillips.
No one else made more than six and four batters didn’t manage a run between them.
George Benton – brother of Exmouth’s Seb – did the early damage with a couple of wickets then Stephen George (5-15) ran through most of the rest.
Budleigh did remove Paignton opener Ollie Higgs cheaply, but Zubyar Hamza (26no) and Richard Ashworth (23) had victory sealed before the end of the eighth over.
Paignton sit 20 points clear of second-placed Plympton and 23 ahead of Bradninch with two games to go.
If they beat Plympton this Saturday they are up – not that skipper Connor Bryan is counting his chickens yet.
“We are not promoted get and there is still a long way to go with two games left to play,” said Bryan
“The boys are focused and we certainly won't be celebrating until the season is over.
HATHERLEIGH’S winning run in the A Division continued when they triumphed by 42 runs at Barton.
That’s three wins on the trot now for Hatherleigh, who have banished any lingering fears of relegation in the process.
After a nervy start that saw then 28 for three – Tom Porter (2-32) doing most of the damage – Carl Scwarz (20) and Jack Cherrington (34) got Hatherleiigh moving.
The middle order stumbled against Adam Parker (2-31), but runs in the last 10 overs from Ryan Davies (45) and Rob Fisheleigh (16) helped Hatherleigh reach 192 all out.
Barton stumbled along to 73 for six in reply with Rob Cockwill (4-30) doing most of the damage. Stephen Lewis made 23 and Tom Drake (22) and Mark Gilmour (20) put on 30 of the 73.
When Cockwill got Gilmour out it seemed the end was imminent, but Andy McVeigh had other ideas.
McVeigh’s 50 off 56 balls at number eight got Barton most of the way to their final total of 150 all out.
Hatherleigh skipper Mark Lake removed McVeigh and last man Stuart Bowker in the space of two balls to tie up the loose ends.
BRADNINCH can’t afford any more slip-ups if they are serious about promotion after going down by 26 runs to Chudleigh.
Chudleigh, fighting for their lives at the other end of the table, made 205 for nine in 50 overs – Dan Britcliffe top scoring on 32.
Bradninch were all out for 179 with more than three overs to go – Dan Hardy making a top score of 46 before it all went wrong.
Tim Piper’s men have now lost on successive Saturdays to Paignton and Chudleigh, which has cost the a place in the top two.
In what is looking like a scrap for second behind champs elect Paignton, the candidates are Plympton (217pts), Bradninch (214) and Budleigh Salterton (209).
Bradninch go to hit-and-miss Barton this Saturday before returning to Kensham Park for what could be an all-or-nothing encounter on the last day of the season.
Piper said it would have been worse had Plympton and Budleigh won too, but both lost to Brixham and Paignton respectively.
“The silver lining is other teams around us lost so promotion is still feasible,” said Piper.
“We are positive going forward, knowing that two wins from two games will probably be enough to reach the target we set out to achieve.
“I have to repeat my comments from last week – if we don't improve in all three disciplines, we don't deserve to and won't get promoted.”
Chudleigh’s middle order got their heads down with the key stands those of 66 between Matt Heather (30) and Ed Foreman (31), followed by 57 between Britcliffe and Sach Galhenage (28).
Ross Acton bowled two mean spells – one for 11 off 10 combined – while Jack Horton (4-60) and Will Squire (2-39) picked up wickets.
Bradninch’s top three misfired, but Hardy and Tim Piper (23) started pulling things round in a stand of 50.
When Galhenage had Piper caught behind, it all started to unravel for Bradninch.
Hardy went on 121 to Galenhage, followed by Horton and Squire as Bradninch subsided to 138 for seven.
Chris Acton (19) had a go, but the damage was done. Heather and Galhenage finished with three wickets each and there were two for Khaliq.
“We got off to another poor start chasing and our batting at the top of the order just hasn't been solid enough for the last couple of games, piling pressure into the middle order,” said Piper.
“We did manage to get it back to 95 for three, which in a chase of 200 should more often than not be a winning position with just over 20 overs remaining.
“A few people got starts, but nobody went on.”
Chudleigh skipper Ed Foreman said: “I am really pleased with the way we played our cricket.
“We were very sensible and mature in our approach.
“We bowled to our plans really well and Rob and Sach tied their run chase down perfectly.
“The only thing the day was missing was a big score. which was disappointing with all the starts we had.
“It's pleasing to see our young side start to mature into very good cricketers.”
PLYMPTON’S A Division promotion prospects suffered a setback when they crashed to a seven-wicket defeat at Brixham.
James Carr’s team were top of the table on Saturday morning, but dropped back to second on the back of their defeat, which was inevitable after they had been dismissed for 42.
Paignton are the new leaders following their win over Budleigh Salterton.
Plympton trail Paignton by 20 points with 44 to play for and now have third-placed Bradninch breathing down their necks just three points behind.
The pressure is on Plympton to win this Saturday when Paignton visit Harewood House. Defeat will leave them vulnerable to be overtaken on the last lap of the promotion race.
Plympton were gunned down by former Devon seamer Mark Orchard (5-23) and Craig Eaves (4-18), who carved through the order.
Best of a sorry set of scores was the eight made by Christian Bunney.
Brixham didn’t start to brightly as Wes Hartslief whipped out both openers for 11 on the board.
Plympton committed the cardinal sin of dropping former Devon batsman Andy Pugh before he got off the mark - and he batted through for 24 not out off 49 balls to win the game.
Hartslief (3-22) picked up one more wicket before Brixham completed the rout.
LEWDOWN can still wriggle out of relegation danger in the A Division after beating Abbotskerswell by seven wickets in the basement clash.
Abbots stay rooted to the foot of the table and with 25 points to find from somewhere to reach safety in just two games look doomed.
Lewdown are two points clear of the second relegation slot, but are being chased hard by Chudleigh, who beat promotion hopefuls Bradninch last time out.
Lewdown play Brixham and Hatherleigh in their last two games and skipper Harry Geering remains confident he can plot a path to safety.
“If we can beat Abbotskerswell with two bowlers missing and after batting in the worst of the conditions, we can stay up,” said Geering.
“Phil Yeo had to drop out half an hour before the game, which meant getting by a bowler short and having to fiddle some overs around.
“It was a win that had to be ground out and we did just that.”
Abbots were all out for 128 – Mark Jordan leading the bowling effort with four for 30, backed up by Ben Williams (2-23), Dave Ball (2-30) and Tom Pearce (2-28).
Guy Harrison-Roberts (24) and S Bowman (21) were the only batters to make much headway.
Leedown had an anxious moment or two at 40 for three – Jake Dearaugo (2-38) proving a handful – but Geering (50no) and Jordan (37no) saw them over the hump.