JAMES Fulner cracked a match-winning 63 off 42 balls as Bovey Tracey (above) defeated Dartington & Totnes by four-wickets in a gripping Aaron Printers Narracott Cup final at South Devon CC.Ryan Stevenson had lashed 90 not out off 56 balls as Dartington & Totnes recovered from 15 for three to reach 143 for seven in the 20-over contest.
Bovey lost opener Lewis Hammett cheaply – run out for two with the score on 16 – but weren’t at all fazed.
By the time Fulner was fourth out at 98, the writing was on the wall for Dartington. Some lusty hits from Dan Green swept Bovey to victory with nine balls to spare.
Stevenson (pictured) was named man of the match by adjudicator Bob Dickinson from Torquay – and rightly so as some of his hitting was awesome. Ninety not out off 56 balls with nine fours and three sixes is certainly impressive.
Fulner’s 63 off 42 balls was the key for Bovey though, as skipper James Mason readily acknowledged.
“James Fulner was fantastic at the top of the innings and Dan Green’s hitting at the end was the real difference between the teams,” said Mason.
“Our team’s batting display was excellent with every individual batting with incentive.
“Ryan Stevenson batted fantastically well for D&T and although we made a great start with the ball he never allowed us to settle – and made field setting difficult with his rich array of stroke making.
“It was a great game of cricket and we were delighted to win a competition which, as a club, we like very much.”
D&T lost skipper Kalon Veale (caught on the boundary), Bertus Loots (bowled) and James Nichols to a sliding catch by Simon Newton as they dipped to 15 for three.
Then Stevenson took over and smashed the ball to all parts of the ground as well as out of it.
Hammett’s early demise for Bovey – run out by Nathan Caton-Robertson – brought Kiwi Phil Barraclough in to join opener Fulner.
Their stand of 49 – broken when Barraclough was bowled by Ian Bransdon (4-23) – set the chase up nicely.
Two wickets went on 98 – Aren de Young and Fulner – then Andrew Longstreet became Bransdon’s fourth scalp as D&T fought back.
Enter Green who hit a quickfire 21 off 10 balls as he and Sam Thomas wrapped up victory.
Dartington & Totnes 143-7 (R Stevenson 90, N Caton-Robertson 10; J Mason 2-10, T Dyer 2-40), Bovey Tracey 147-6 (J Fulner 63, D Green 21no, P Barraclough 16; I Bransdon 4-23). Bovey Tracey bt Dartington & Totnes by 4 wkts.