Devon Cricket Board - Torquay off to flying start at Plymouth

Torquay off to flying start at Plymouth

PLYMOUTH’S pre-season optimism was quickly jolted by a nine-wicket defeat at the hands of Torquay.
The city side were stuck in on a wet on at Mount Wise in one of only two Premier games to go the distance.
Ryan Stevenson claimed three wickets and there were two each for Somerset’s Max Waller, Nick Watkin and former Cornwood spinner Matt Petherbridge on his Torquay debut.
A brace of 12s by James Toms and Steve Luffman was as good as it got for Plymouth.
Skipper Justin Yau was Torquay’s only casualty in the 10.3 overs needed to knock off the runs.
It wasn’t the start new skipper Sam Stein had hoped for, but he remains upbeat for the rest of the season.
“It was a tough day to lose the toss as we were stuck in on a track that was slightly green,” said Stein.
“ It was to be expected since the track had to be covered most of the week due to bad weather. The track didn’t misbehave at all though.
“Hats off to the umpires and Justin (Yau) as they were all desperate to play. Being the first game of the season you always want to play.
“We knew the toss would be vital, but the lads were keen to play too.
“A few of us were a bit unlucky to get out, but Torquay did bowl well and used the conditions to their advantage.
“I feel if we had dug in for the rest of our overs we could have made it an interesting game.
“Torquay came out quickly from the off, it was probably the best way to chase a low total on that track.
“It was difficult to bowl in the wet conditions as it started to rain after six overs in the field.
“However it was a very tough task to expect us to defend 70.”
We are hoping to bounce back next week away to Paignton, hoping the weather is set fair.”
For Torquay skipper Justin Yau, it was the flying start to the season he craved.
“It was a great toss to win but we were warn of the situation having been in exactly the same boat last year and Plymouth dismantled us,” said Yau.
“The way we bowled up top set the tone for the rest of the innings with Ryan Stevenson particularly deadly with the new ball, removing the top three.
“It was great to see Nick Watkin and Mitchell Pugh contribute with wickets, then spinners Max Waller and Matt Petherbridge bowling in tandem with great control.
“Peths didn't bowl a bad ball and bowled a couple of beauties, particularly the one to Steve Luffman who has quite often played match-winning innings against us in the past.”
Chasing low totals can be an accident waiting to happen – so Yau decided not to mess around on the chase.
“It was important we were positive with the run chase with rain around as we didn't want to get bogged down chasing a low total,” said Yau.
We were aggressive from the outset, hitting 12 off the first over, and Matt Thompson and Mitchell Pugh played great innings in the circumstances.”
Plymouth’s problems started in the seventy over when Toms was first out to Stevenson.
Four wickets fell for nine runs added as Stevenson (3-20) and Pugh (1-21) got to work.
A succession of batters came and went cheaply as Watkin and Waller slowed the middle order.
Some hung around like Hal Kerton for a 33-ball nine – but most were soon on their way.
Petherbridge (2-3) mopped up at the end.
Stein dismissed opposite number Yau for 12 of the first15 runs on the board.
Pugh (24no) and Devon captain Matt Thompson (35no) knocked off the rest with the minimum of fuss.

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