Devon Cricket Board - B Division - Needham slams another ton

BARTON are closing fast on promotion after a 150-run win over Thorverton.

Shaun Needham slammed his second successive century in the league – 131 off 104 balls with 12 fours and six sixes – as Barton racked up 266 for nine.

Needham went from 0-50 in 37 balls and 50-100 in 42 more. Along the way he put in 76 with Harry Moore (16) and 84 with Damon Calland (44).

Ali Fury’s four for 52 were the best Thorverton bowling figures.

Thoverton were all out for 116 in reply – the sort of low total always on the cards after they had slumped to 48 for six.

Fury made 30, Will Denford 36 and Nick Barton 22, but it wasn’t enough. Tom Porter led the Barton bowling effort with four for 42. Calland (2-6) picked off the stragglers.

With doomed Dartington & Totnes to play this Saturday, Barton are 22 points clear of second-placed Hatherleigh and 27 clear of Chudleigh in third spot.

Barton aren’t there yet and skipper Adam Parker continues to take it one game at a time.

“It was another brilliant win for us which widened the gap at the top ever so slightly, “ said Parker

“Keeping things tight and taking wickets at the right time to keep the pressure on.

“We have two home games coming up now and will as always take each game as it comes and keep looking to play positive cricket.”

LEWDOWN won by seven wickets at Axminster, but it wasn’t as easy as it seemed.

“Commencing with only five players due to horrendous traffic was not the best start to the game but we didn't let it effect us and we put in a good solid performance to get the win we needed,” said Lewdown captain Charlie Hughes.

Lewdown quickly got on top of the situation to dismiss Axminster for 80 in 25 overs – Rob Mutch taking six for 20 and Hughes three for 30. Only Tristan Wakeley (29) hung around long.

Harry Geering made 37 not out and Dan Ball 17 in the 14 overs needed to knock off the runs and send Axminster down.

As for Lewdown, at home to Barnstaple & Pilton this Saturday, promotion remains a possibility.

“We must win our last three games to be in with a shout of promotion and even then Hatherleigh and Chudleigh must drop points before they meet on the last day,” said Hughes.

CHUDLEIGH – at home to Thoverton on Saturday – stayed in the promotion picture with a 90-run win over Tavistock.

Sean Day made a top score of 40 for Chudleigh, getting them going again after a stumble from 61 for none to 82 for four after Lance Ames (24) and Dan LeMarquand (26) were dismissed.

Shaun Daymond (4-45) and Shaun Cleave (3-51) were the wicket takers.

Tavvy lost their first two wickets without scoring a run – but recovered after a fashion to 73 for five. Then Jack Vittles (5-25) ripped into them as they slumped to 81 all out.

Dave Manning made 27, Ollie Sale 19 and five batters didn’t get a run between them.”

“I can’t see us catching Barton now, but we are right up in the mix and the last three games will be interesting,” said skipper Jon Martin, whose three for 30 helped hasten Tavvy’s demise.

DARTINGTON & Totnes skipper Kalon Veale has run up the white flag on dodging relegation after the five-wicket defeat by second-placed Hatherleigh.

Veale made a top score of 58 for D&T, who were 88 for six when he got out and 128 for nine at the end of 46 overs.

Mark Lake bagged three for 27 and there were two wickets each for Sean Leatheran and Nick Rogers.

Hugh Romans struck an unbeaten 54 and D&T chucked in 36 extras as the visitors won with 11 overs to go.

Darts are 40 points adrift with 60 to play for going to Barton his Saturday, which doesn’t bode well for Veale.

“I think we all know where we are going, but we will continue to enjoy our cricket and try to win some of our remaining games,” said Veale.

Hatherleigh captain Mark Lake said the chase was dreary at times, not that he was too concerned.

“It was a hard thought win on a low, slow and dead wicket,” said Lake.

“But itis all about getting the points at this stage of the season.

“As for the last three games, it’s in our own hands to gain promotion.

“Three good, solid wins should hand us back-to-back promotions, but we will be taking it game by game.”

ALPHINGTON only had themselves to blame for a two-wicket defeat by Barnstaple & Pilton

For one thing they only had 10 players as one of the team had to work at short notice. Fighting fires can be like that!

Then, when B&P were 102 for six chasing 157 to win, Alphas dropped Henry McEndoo when he was on two. McEndo went on to make 28 and his stand of 57 with Steve Moore (18no) pretty well won the match.

Alphington must have felt it was them against McEndoo (5-54) and Moore (3-21) alone as they were the main wicket-takers.

Bright spots for Alpinington were runs and wickets for Alvin Pollard – 37 and five for 91 – and 36 from Ben Morris.

Stuart Shaw, Alphington’s vice-captain, said the 40-point margin between the team and the bottom two meant there would be no panics this season.

“There is no danger of us going down so we can enjoy our cricket in the last three games and aim to finish as high as we can,” said Shaw.