Devon Cricket Board - A Division - Shobrooke worry Exeter

EXETER skipper Jon Tipper said his side were given a wake-up call by Shobrooke Park which reminded them promotion isn’t in the bag yet.
The County Ground outfit are sitting on a 45-point lead at the top off the A Division table and appear to be heading back to the top flight after an absence of two yeara.
Tipper said Exeter were not convincing against relegation threatened Shobrooke and might not get away with it against better opposition.
“We played badly and came away with 20 points, which must be hard for Shobrooke to take,” said Tipper.
“There is always a danger of thinking the job’s done by tea when you bowl a side out for 145 – and that’s probably what we were guilty of.
“A few loose shots and suddenly we are 71 for five chasing 146 to win. Games can go wrong in situations like that.
“Fortunately for us, Miles Lenygon came good after a lean run with the bat and saw us through with Cameron Grainger.
“One good thing to come out of the game was Cameron going in at number seven and making a very good 33 not out, which shows the depth at the club.”
Adam Gribble (5-41) and Callam Still (2-36) had Shobrooke in a spin as they scraped up 145 all out.
Eric Parmakellis had 57 and Pete Turner 21, but there was little else from the batters.
Seamer Parmakellis (3-57) and Pete Steer (2-53) then had Exeter rocking at 71 for five with Rob Holman in and out for 32.
Lenygon (68no) and Grainger (33no) batted Exeter out of trouble.
Shobrooke stay in the bottom two, 34 points away from safety going into this Saturday’s home game against Braunton.
"This was a positive step forward that I was looking for, but we still have work to do with the bat," said Shobrooke skipper Justin Dollow.
"Perhaps the points don't reflect the reality of the game as to have Exeter 71 for five was a good performance on our part."
South Devon – away to Brixham - took the best of a draw from their derby clash with Abbotskerswell at Marsh Lane.
A 76-run stand between Ali Wright (39) and Tom Carter (34) heled South Devon to 230 for nine – their first 200-plus score of the season.
Paul Hooper (33) and Will Littlechild with a brisk 22 helped the score along.
Mark Porter (3-63) and Toby Codd (4-65) were the main wicket takers for Abbots, who were well adrift on 164 for eight with the overs ran out.
A 72-run start between Dickie Acton (51) and Richard Lake (24) got Abbots going and 24 from Mark Porter helped.
Dave Knowles (3-40) and Hammad ul-Hassan (2-40) bowled South Devon back into the game as Abbots subsided to 131 for six with 15 overs to go.
It was safety first after that with Steve Short and Nick Halse – both former South Devon players – shutting up shop for a draw at 164 for eight.
South Devon, 43 points adrift at the bottom, have a lot to do to stave off relegation so this was a step in the right direction according to skipper Adrian Hewings.
“It was a small step but a positive one,” said Hewings.
Opposite number Lake had a slightly different take on the game.
“We bowled too many four balls and gave away too many extras,” said Lake.
“We didn’t do a good enough job containing South Devon and a gave them 60 runs too many.
Abbots run into Paignton at Two Mile Oak this Saturday, which could be a lively affair!
Paignton have been boosted for a second-half promotion push by the arrival of four players from Abbots in recent weeks.
Paignton shot up to third in the table last Saturday when they inflicted an 85-run drubbing on Cornwood, who were second before their trip to Queens Park.
Devon batsman Seb Benton and South African professional Brady Barends took Cornwood for a ton each as Paignton amassed 272 for five.
Benton and Barneds put on 210 for Paignton’s second wicket with Benton making 105 and Barnends 104.
Benton hit 11fours and two sixes from 129 balls faced. Barends had 12 boundaries in his 135-ball stay.
Mike Wood (3-58) had the most success of any Cornwood bowler, Andy Bees bowled seven overs for 29 runs before going for 14 in his last but Adam Goodliffe (1-69)) took a bit of punishment.
Cornwood were all out for 185 in reply and on a day when they could have done with a contribution from former Pakistan Test player Mohammad Salman, he was out for a duck.
Mark Horwell (72) and Jason Hall (53) did share in a century stand for Cornwood, but it wasn’t enough.
Losing Hall lbw then Salman three balls later to Stephen George (3-49) put the pressure on Cornwood.
Benton (3-17) spun out a few and despite Harris hanging around 56 balls in an attempt to save the game it wasn’t to be.
It was Benton’s fourth league ton of the season – and won’t be the last according to skipper Andy Kingdon.
“Seb is in a different class to any other batsman in this division and I can’t believe a First Class county won’t come sniffing round him sooner or later,” said Kingdon.
“He looks like making a big score almost every time he bats.”
Paignton are one of three teams jostling for position behind champs in waiting Exeter for the second promotion place.
Kingdon would like to go up, but said the team had punched above their weight already to get into the frame.
“There are seven players aged under 19 in the team so we are already exceeding our expectations,” said Kingdon.
“They are a young and hungry side who are Premier players in waiting.”
A 27-run win over Braunton last time out lifted Brixham within 10 points of second-placed Plympton.
Matt Stringfellow (75) and Mark Orchard (27) were the main run scorers for Brixham in a total of 170 for nine.
Andy Paddison led the Braunton bowling effort with four for 37.
Braunton were 40 for none in reply when Orchard took the first of four wickets which sent them sliding to 58 for five.
Paddison (29) and Harry Boooker (19) put on 53 for the sixth wicket as Bruanton fought back
Wickets started falling again to Stringfellow (3-28) and Craig Eaves (2-44) and this time there was no fightback as Braunton were all out for 143 with three overs to go.
It was a close-run thing and skipper Orchard said there were areas for improvement if Brixham want to feature in the promotion race.
“It is all about persistence and hard work, but e will come good soon with the bat,” said Orchard.
“The bowlers are doing very well at the moment and we are setting ourselves up for a good run in.”
PAVI Mawalage took five wickets for 10 runs as Plympton pulled off an unlikely 28-run win over Plymstock to go second in the A Division table/
When Plymstock were 89 for one chasing 151 to win at Dean Cross 0 Matt Reynolds (34) and Ollie Mulberry (28) among the runs, the signs weren’t good for Plympton.
Skipper Andy Walter turned to his new spin bowler, recently acquired from Plymouth, and Plymstock’s slide began.
It was mostly Mawalage as Plymstock dipped to 113 for six, then Amer Hayat (3-37) finished them off. Plymstock’s last four wickets went for just nine runs as they slumped to 112 all out.
Earlier, Josh Mailling (45), and Mawalage (28) had been Plympton’s leading run scorers.
There were three wickets each for Lee Savage and Dave Orchard, plus two for Seb Jordan.
“Originally, I was happy with 150 as that was a good score in the conditions, which included long grass in the outfield,” said Walter.
“When Plymstock were 82 for one at halfway I was beginning to have my doubts.
“Pavi came on, got Reynolds and Mailling in his second over and that turned then game.
“Amer had some overs left so I brought him back and he got a couple at the end to help finish them off.”