Devon Cricket Board - Paignton underline promotion credentials

Paignton underline promotion credentials

LEWDOWN ran into promotion-chasing Paignton and found out the hard way why the Queens Park outfit are second in the table.

Paignton’s depth of batting saw them through after an early collapse left them clinging on in the game.

Lewdown’s South African run machine Marco Marais doesn’t miss out often, but he did against Paignton where he was in and our for a four-ball duck.

When Marais went Lewdown were 24 for four after an early roughing up from Rob Shergold (3-18), but a stand of 39 between Matt Jordon (16) and Matt Witcher (24) stopped the rot for a while.

Witcher was seventh out on 100 – the first of three scalps for Paignton’s medium pacer Stephen George (3-25

Lewdown’s last five wickets went for 37 runs as Paignton bowled them out for 126 in the 46^th over.

Lewdown must have felt they were in with a fighting chance after Ben Williams reduced Paignton to 24 for four single handed.

That was as good as it got for Lewdown.

Paignton captain Conor Bryan (50no) and Shergold (35no) put on 104 unbroken in 18 overs to win the game by six wickets with time to spare.

Lewdown skipper Harry Geering was realistic in his post-match summing-up.

“All in all I think we were outplayed by what looks the strongest team in the division,” said Geering.

“Paignton were just a very good team, they bowled very good areas, fielded well and we just didn't perform with the bat.

“We started well with the ball, had them 24-4 with Ben Williams bowling the best first spell I’ve seen this season ripped through the top four.

“But we were unable to break the partnership after that.”

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