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JAMES
McMahon was named Man of the Match after hitting 61 as
Abbotskerswell beat Exeter St James by 38 runs in the
Corinthian Cup final at Cornwood.
Abbots and St James clashed
in the final after seeing off Plymouth and Hatherleigh
respectively in their semis..
Abbots batted first in the final and were always in command
after hoisting 174 for five on the board.
McMahon and Carl Mitchell, whose 80 runs in both matches
and a two-for-12 haul would have made him a candidate
for Man of the Day, racked up 101 for the second wicket
as the St James bowlers struggled to contain them.
Simon Dundas came in for the treatment – his two eight-ball
overs went for 24 runs – while Richard Bell (1-46) and
skipper Stuart Shaw (1-33) took some tap as well.
After Mitchell went for 40, McMahon carried on going and
hit nine fours and two sixes to put Abbots in the driving
seat.
St James hadn't come just to make up the numbers and at
84 for three were in with a shout. Dave Haysom made 39,
Matt Bamber had 26 and their stand of 57 for the second
wicket had given St James real hope.
It all went wrong when Marcus Green (3-29) sparked a collapse
from 102 for five to 110 for eight that ended the game
as a contest.
Saints were out of it by then and played out time before
being dismissed for 136 with seven balls to come.
Abbots eased into the final with a comfortable three-wicket
win over Plymouth, sealed with six balls of Craig White's
final over to come.
Plymouth, 13 for two at one stage, made a useful 163 for
seven with skipper Dave Burke leading the way with 46.
Burke and Pete Evans (22) started the comeback with a
stand of 41, which White (25) kept going as he and the
skipper added another 50 for the fourth wicket.
After a brief pause getting over a two-wicket burst from
Green (2-35), Mark Thompson (18) and Luke Minnett (13)
scampered another 31 between them at the end.
Abbots got away to a 31-run start through Terry Farkins
and Mitchell and were 67 for two after McMahon (10) and
Mitchell (40) were parted.
Green (20) kept the momentum going, then Phillips (39)
took Abbots within touching distance of victory.
Abbots needed five to win off the last over and Short
and Alun Lewis took just two hits getting them.
Saint James worked their passage to the final with a 31-run
win over Hatherleigh, who must have fancied their chances
after pegging the Topsham side to 148 for six.
Barnes clubbed 67 and Andrew Hawkey made 23 – the only
St James scores over 20 they were allowed by Richard Tidball
(3-28) and Mark Brock (2-21).
Although Tom Rogers made a defiant 36, no one else bettered
Andy Bennett's 17 as Bamber (3-250 and Bell (4-17) shot
Hatherleigh out for 117.
SEMI
FINALS
Plymouth 163-7 (D Burke 41, C White 25, P Evans 22; M
Green 2-20), Abbotskerswell 166-7 (C Mitchell 40, M Phillips
37, M Green 20; M Thompson 3-22, D Burke 2-33). Abbotskerswell
bt Plymouth by 3 wkts.
Exeter
SJ 148-6(M Barnes 20, A Hawke y 23; R Tidball 3-28, M
Brock 2-21), Hatherleigh 117 (T Rogers 36; M Bamber 3-25,
R Bell 4-17). St James bt Hatherleigh by 31 runs.
FINAL
Abbotskerswell 174-5 (C Mitchell 40, J D McMahon 61, T
Farkins 16; S Dundas 2-24), Exeter St James 136 (D Haysom
39, M Bamber 26, C Horne 20; C Mitchell 2-12, M Green
3-29). Abbotskerswell bt St James by 38 runs.
