Devon Cricket Board - B Division round-up - Tavvy back on track + Bideford chasing at top

TAVISTOCK are back on track to win the B Division title after thrashing Barnstaple & Pilton by 142 runs.
Three defeats in the previous four games had seen Tavvy’s lead at the top whittled away as Bideford and Thorverton chased them down.
The chasers both won on Saturday but are not significantly closer. Tavvy (228pts) are not there yet, but Bideford (218) and Thorverton (214) have everything to do to catch them.
As Thorverton have to play Bideford and Tavistock in what is left of the season, there may yet be a twist in the tail.
“It is down to the three of us now as Ivybridge and Plymstock appear to be out of the picture after they both lost,” said Tavvy captain Shaun Daymond.
“We have got Stoke Gabriel this Saturday and Thorverton the week after and if we beat them both we should be there.”
A partnership worth 94 between Ian Gray (62) and Daymond (37) pointed Tavvy in the right direction.
David Manning (62) and Shaun Cleave (51no) racked up another 117 for the fourth wicket as Tavvy reached 283 for four.
Barnstaple, who were without holidaying Devon all-rounder Jack Popham, were bowled out for 141 in reply.
No one made more than Paul Schiller, whose 25 helped them get away from a lowly 51 for five. James Thomas (24) and Tom Popham (24) both chipped in.
The wickets were shared between Cleave (2-22), Daymond (2-32), Lee Baker (2-15) and Jamie Stephens (2-19).
PLYMSTOCK skipper James Nichols has run up the white flag on his side;s hopes of making a late bid for second place after they went down by five wickets at Stoke Gabriel.
Plymstock had won four on the trot going to Stoke, but were unlikely to make it five after they were bowled out for 131.
The gap between Plymstock in fifth place and Bideford in second is now 39 points and Nichols can’t see a way of wiping it out.
“Realistically, we are done and dusted,” said Nicholls.
“We probably weren’t going to catch Bideford anyway, but it was nice to stoke the fire while it lasted.
“We were very poor with the bat against, in all honesty the poorest bowling attack in the division.
“We lost our discipline and all the work we had done in the last four weeks fell by the wayside as we got bowled out for a total which was unforgivable.
“Batting-wise they edged the ball very well and got over the line.
“We are not going up or going down so we can play with no pressure for the last three games now.”
Jack Tolley (4-37) and Kai Horsburgh (2-16) took the wickets that had Plymstock 88 for six on the way to 131 all out.
Extras of 38 outscored anything from a Plymstock batter.
Stoke were in some trouble at 69 for five in reply – Ian Whalley (3-52) and Dave Orchard (2-20) doing the damage but Ben Stone (54) and Tolley saw it through after Gerhard Erasmus had made 37.
IVYBRIDGE have almost conceded defeat in the promotion race after they were seven-wicket losers against Bideford.
Paul Heard took three for nine and there were two wickets each for Fred King, Josh Atkinson and Josh King as Ivybridge were all out for 82.
Jeewan deSilva made 15 and George Thompson 39 after coming in 34 for seven.
Josh Roach’s unbeaten 47 saw Bideford home in the 18th over.
Pete Abraham (2-21) was the pick of the Ivybridge bowlers.
Ivybridge are 23 points shy of second-placed Bideford and long-odds to catch them now.
“It certainly makes us the outsiders of the top four,” said team manager John Sparkes
“With the fixtures remaining, if we can win all three, we'll give ourselves a chance. But it will depend on the other results.
“We will certainly be trying to win every game, but to do that we'll need to be at our best.”
For Bideford captain James Ford it was a valuable win over a team he thinks is still in the promotion shake up despite dropping to fourth.
“The King brothers and Paul Heard gave absolutely nothing away and combined with good fielding only their number nine stuck around,” said Ford.
“It was good to see former regular opening bowler Chris Luxton – now playng as a batsman due to injury - get a wicket.
“Josh Roach scored a quickfire 47 to finish the game before tea.”

THORVERTON beat Shobrooke Park by five wickets in the mid-Devon derby to keep their B Division promotion prospects bubbling away.

Shobrooke made 251 for five in their 50 overs with Chris Simpon (89) and Phil Anning (79no) leading the way.

A second-wicket stand of 108 between Simpson and Nick Prell (49) gave Shobrooke some momentum, then Simpson and Anning added another 72 for the fouth.

Thorverton’s run chase was constructed round an unbeaten 125 from opener James Hope.

After Paul Fielder (18) Hope put on 57 for starters, Graham White (34) and Hope cracked on to 121.

The decisive stand was one of 103 between Hope and Harry Choules, which took Thorverton within 15 runs of victory.

Thorverton are just a point behind second-placed Bideford and 14 behind leaders Tavistock with three games to go, starting with Plymstock away this Saturday.

“After that we have Tavistock at ours and Bideford away, so if we want to go up it really is in our hands,” said White.

Shobrooke are at home to Braunton this Saturday.

BRAUNTON’S hopes of putting some distance between themselves and the bottom two were dashed when they lost by 78 runs to Axminster.
The Kelseymen are 24 points ahead of Barnstaple & Pilton, who currently occupy the second drop spot.
Braunton wll feel far safer if they can win at Shobrooke Park this Saturday – and Barnstap;e & Pilton lose the North Devon derby against second-placed Bideford.
Axminster made 241 for three with Dan Murname top scoring on 97 not ou. Joel Seward made 55 not u0ut and there was a stand of 66 for the second wicket between the Wakeleys – Tristan (28) and Mike (28).
Best of the bowling was Tom Robotham (2-26).
Braunton were all out for 168 in reply – Joe Barnes (40) and Mark Mitchell (34) the only batters to make much progress.
Matt Pyle (4-25) took the bowling honous ahead of Nick (3-39).