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B DIVISION – WEEK FIVE
ALPHINGTON surrendered the initiative in the top-of-the-table clash with Tavistock and paid the price in a 95-run defeat.
Alphington, who were second behind leaders Tavvy on Saturday morning, had the visitors in all sorts of trouble at 55 for six.
Dave Manning and Beuran Hendricks hauled Tavvy out of the mire by sharing in a stand of 141 for the seventh wicket.
Hendricks was finally out for 57, but Manning went on to make an undefeated 147. His knock included 21 fours.
Pick of the Alphington bowlers before the Tavvy turnaround towards 254 for eight were Andy Wilson (4-65) and Matt Bamber (2-37).
Alphington made solid progress to 100 for two in reply with Paul James (39), Andy Codling (30) and Steve Poortman (24) all among the runs.
Andy Kaitiff (5-35) and Hendricks (4-31) turned the game around a second time as Alphington faded to 159 all out with five overs to go.
Victory puts Tavistock out on their own at the top of the table, 15 points clear of Plymstock, who routed Shobrooke Park by 86 runs to climb past Alphington into second place.
Heather Knight (23) and Nick Lyons (53) gave Plymstock a 90-run start. With Kyall Pocock (34). Matt Smith (26) and Dom Wood (22) all chipping in, a total of 222 for eight was reached after 46 overs.
A stand of 57 for the fourth wicket between Pocock and Smith kept the board tiching over nicely.
Peter Turner had four Plymstock wickets for 52 runs. John Sweeny and Justin Dollow claimed two each.
Shobrooke captain Chris Ford will have had some questions for his batsmen after they nosedived from 106 for three – Dollow 27 - to 116 for nine and on to 136 all out.
The turning point was the departure of Phil Anning for 27 when Alex Barnicott snared him lbw. Barnicott went on to claim four for 35, but was outdone in the wicket-taking business by captain Dave Orchard (5-47).
Sweeny had a swipe for a quick 20 at the end, not that it made any difference to the outcome.
A delighted Orchard said: “All round it was a good team performance and got us over the defeat at Tavistock.
“We had to work to beat Shobrooke – they didn't make it easy for us – and we stuck to the task well.”
KINGSBRIDGE went down by nine wickets in the basement tussle at Ivybridge, which was hardly a surprise after they were bowled out for 102.
Kingsbridge looked in no trouble at all as the headed to 76 for three with Ben Glover making a top score of 37 and Ashley Treeby 20.
The trouble started when Joel Seward sent back Alan Browning and Neil Peach in successive balls.
Once the slide started there was no stopping it as Seward (5-31) and Alex Wraight polished off the rest of the batting.
Knocking off the runs was a cakewalk for Axminster, who had done what was necessary within 19 overs.
Paul Miller cracked an unbeaten 49 and Jack Willow was not out on 39 when the winning post was passed. The only casualty on the chase was Mike Wakeley, who fell to Peach (1-22) for 14.
Axminster have clambered off the bottom and ahead of Kingsbridge, but have plenty to do yet to leave their relegation worries behind.
Skipper Robbie Prior believes the win over Kingsbridge is a sign the corner has been turned.
“We have been improving game by game and we finally got our batting, bowling and fielding to come good on the same day,” said Prior.
“Some of the fielding was outstanding and that gives the bowlers confidence, which is not a bad thing.
“Now we have shown we can get our game together, we need to do it more often.”
BIDEFORD'S lasts pair held out for nine overs to earn a draw at Clyst Hydon.
Hydon did well to reach 175 all out as they were in big trouble at 118 for eight having been put under pressure by Chris Luxton (4-44), Josh King (2-41) and Matt Bettis (2-43).
A partnership of 44 for the ninth wicket between Clinton Lewis (40) and Will Gregg (37) lifted spirits in the home camp, as did a last stand of 13 between Gregg and Lee Powell.
Little did anyone realise at the time how important those runs would prove putting the game beyond Bideford's reach.
Bideford stop-started their way to 93 for six then 121 for seven before going into what seemed a terminal tail spin at 136 for nine.
The bowlers who did the damage were the two Wills – Gregg (4-51) and Moore (3-22) with Martin Barrett (27) one of the few to defy them.
Shifting Will Barrett (27no) and Jack Perham proved somewhat harder and they poked and prodded around to reach 160 for nine.
Clyst St George carried too many armaments for Barnstaple, who slumped to a 98-run defeat at the Bohea Field.
Clyst's batsmen got stuck into the bowling with Duncan Chave leading the way with 92.
Chave and skipper Graham White (84) shared in a handy stand of 153 for the third wicket. Matt Cook chipped in with 47.
Barnstaple were all out for 165 in reply. After slumping to nine for two early on they staged a partial recovery led by Mike Paine with 68.
Paine joined Barnstaple last week in a dual playing and coaching role, having spent the past couple of seasons with Exmouth.
Chris Cook (5-35) and Mark Couch (3-47) took the wickets that sent Barnstaple careering to 165 all out.
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