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Heathcoat v Kilmington

 

HEATHCOAT and Kilmington have arrived in the C Division from different directions this season – Heathcoat coming down, Kilmington going up – and it was Heathcoat who triumphed in difficult conditions at Knightshayes.

   Kilmington collapsed from 75 for two to 125 all out on a track that had been watered the day before which had made the bounce unpredictable.

   Tom Gooding top scored with 32 and Ben Noble hit 24 for Kilmington, who were bowled out by Jack Menheneott (3-44), Darren Drew (2-30) and Bryn Latchem (2-35).

   Heathcoat hurtled to victory with 21 overs to spare thanks largely to a stand of 57 between Tom Frankpitt (42) and James Davies (29) who got the target down to six to win.

   Heathcoat skipper Drew was pleased to come out of the game with a win while opposite number Ian Gooding was upbeat in defeat.

   “We were up against it the moment we saw the wicket,” said Gooding.

   “I am very happy with the shape of our side and, given the conditions you cannot read too much into the outcome. We'll be okay at this level.” 

Cockington v Feniton

FENITON'S first game back in C Division did not go to plan as they went down by four wickets to newly promoted Cockington

   Mark Kingdom hit a splendid 90 and together with Dave Carnall (47) helped Feniton to 180-3 after they had been a troubled 30 for three.

   Then came the collapse. Shaun Needham returned to the attack and finished with a six-for-38 haul as Feniton were bowled out for 201. Chris Needham took three for 56 – then returned with the bat to inflict more gloom on the Station Road side.

   Opener Needham struck 78, which included three sixes, and put on 105 for the second wicket with Jimmy Fraser (26) as Cockington set off in hot pursuit.

   Carnall (3-52) and Russell Whitton (2-32) posed the odd problem for Cockington, but with Scott Colegate making 29 as well they cruised home with six of their 48 overs to spare.

   Feniton skipper Graham Tucker wasn't too concerned about losing as at least he could see where it all went wrong.

   “We played okay,” said Tucker. “We were set to give them a testing target but our last seven wickets fell for 21 and that's the reason we lost.”

 

Clyst Hydon v Babbacombe

BABBACOMBE tail-enders Paul Bates and Richard Backholer pushed back the final five overs to deny Clyst Hydon a win on the opening day of the season.

   Bates, the former Exmouth left-armer, had posed plenty of problems for Clyst already by taking six for 34 to bowl them out for 204. Marcus Thompson claimed two for 19 at the other end.

   Clyst Hydon's big stand was one worth 110 for the fourth wicket between former Sandford and Seaton batsman Ian Sutton 0 – he made 66 – and skipper Graham Trude (63). Chris Holmes chipped in with 31.

   A succession of Babbacombe batsmen got in, got settled and got out again without building the big score needed to win the game. Tim Goodwin (39), Marcus Tanton (24) and Rob Bloxham (24) were the main run scorers.

   Chris Edwards, Mike Johnson, Will Gregg and Clint Lewis all had a couple of wickets each as Babbacombe slowed to 168 for nine by the end of their 46 overs.

 

Dawlish & Teignmouth v Kingsbridge

DAWLISH & Teignmouth captain Andy Lockyer will try to persuade his batsmen to curb their natural instincts in games ahead after they came a cropper by 16 runs against Kingsbridge.

   It wasn't so much the margin of defeat but the size of the total they were chasing, a modest 137 to win, that irritated Lockyer.

   Some stalwarts of the batting department have left during the winter – James Burton and Mark Hammett to Budleigh, Alex Blest to Clyst St George – and a change of approach is needed according to Lockyer.

   “We had 51 overs to make 137 to win and were 93 for three at one stage and really should have got them,” said Lockyer.

   “The trouble is too many of our batsmen want to hit every ball out of the ground and that's what got them out and cost us the match.”

   Sam Greensitt with a six-for-37 haul and pacer Tom O'Connell (2-27) rolled Kingsbridge out for 136. Steve Gledhill (39) and Daniel Tregunna (21) were the only run getters of note.

   Karl Blackburn (34), Bill Alcock (28) and James Day (22) appeared to have put D&T on the right course, only for Neil Peach (5-27) and Adam Buckland (3-37) for change the game.

 

Stoke Gabriel v Ivybridge

IVYBRIDGE came unstuck first time out at Stoke Gabriel, where they were on the wrong end of a 60-run scoreline.

   Losing was bad enough, but new skipper Andy Johnson will be asking a few questions of his batsmen after they let a potentially winning position slip away.

   Stoke were limited to 197 for nine and Ivybridge were 77 without loss in reply with Johnson going well on 41.

   Nick Sandbrook spoiled the Ivybridge run chase by taking three wickets in four balls – Karl Prescott among them – and from then on the Bridge went into a steady decline.

   Sandbrook took three for 37, Dave Pruysers bagged four for 24 and only Andy Coker (18no) offered much resistance ad Ivybridge were skittled out for 137.

   Coker and last man Peter Boast had 10 overs to survive at the end, but Alex Hill bowled Boast with two overs left to give Stoke victory.

   Stoke's total was put together by key knocks from opener Steve Tolley he hit 31 in a stand of 43 with Hill; 40 between Tolley and Rob Baker (51) for the second wicket and 47 for the fourth between Baker and former Paignton batsman Neil Robinson (24).

   Johnson will have something to say about the 54 extras Ivybridge gave away.

   Prescott (3-45) was the best of Ivybridge's bowlers. Matt Anderson and Jamie Bullock bagged a brace each.