DUNSFORD skipper Colin Green was left wondering what is happening to grass-roots cricket in Devon after running into Yelverton's overseas player Sanjiv Shrivastav – and he probably won't be alone.
Shrivastav, primarily a bowler, put bat to ball with such force at that at times the scoreboard and scorer had difficulty keeping up! The new man helped himself to 164 in a knock that included a ton of boundaries as he hit 16 fours and nine sixes.
Paul Farnham chipped in with 76 as Yelverton were able to declare on 307-5.
Charlie Poustie was a successful Dunsford bowler - and his team-mates did effect a couple of good run-outs.
Dunsford were all out for 101 in reply. Mike Garforth hit 22 and Martin Baker 16,
John Avery took 3-14 for Yelverton whilst Shrivastav took 2-4 in four overs.
Green was left unimpressed by the impact one player had on the game.
“It strikes me as rather against the spirit of this standard of cricket that we should come up against such a talented individual,” said Green.
“We are essentially ‘village' cricketers” and to face the awesome might of such an individual is somewhat soul destroying.
“He was incredibly comfortable when batting against us and when he bowled we couldn't get a bat anywhere near any of his deliveries.”
It's a safe bet there were probably similar mutterings in the Ashburton camp after they lost by 120 runs to Kingskerswell.
Kerswell, who opted to bat first, racked up a formidable 233 for seven, built around a well-constructed century from West Indian Sergio Fedee (113).
Fedee received able support from skipper Mark Kenyon (32) and Paul Mitchell (29).
Pick of the Ashes bowlers was Chris Pascoe who claimed 2-47 in a hostile opening spell.
Ashburton were soon in trouble at 30 for three as Antony Waters (3-33) ran through the top order.
Wily spinner Paul Harding (3-20) then began to weave his magic to leave Ashes teetering at 98-7. Martin Causey (33) offered some resistance before Fedee (3-29) mopped up the tail as the visitors were dismissed for 113.
Keyham & Buckfastleigh got off to a winning start in the league – the first three Saturday's of the season were devoted to the Plate competition – with a resounding 136-run win over Roborough .
K&B skipper Will Sykes scored 133, ex-Yelverton player Jason Degg made (25) and Kiwi Greg Robinson hit 22 in a Keyham total of 242 for six.
Daniel North took 3-36 for Roborough then hit the joint top score - he and Rob Gaylard both made 29 - in a reply that ended on 106.
Robinson claimed 5-23 from nine overs of right-arm seam and Sykes completed a good all round game with two wickets as Keyham registered a comfortable and emphatic win.
Exeter Civil Service were five-wicket winners at the expense of visiting Shaldon , whose skipper James Fulner was left to lament his side's batting.
“Yet again we have accumulated 30 or so fewer than we really needed,” said Fulner. Going from 18 without loss to 18 for four says it all and I am afraid that we handicapped ourselves serving up such a low total.
“We battled back well and I was delighted to see half their side back in the pavilion before the winning runs were scored.
“We need to start winning games and to that we simply have to get a batsman, or two, to stick around rather like they had.”
Fulner was referring to the knock of Civil's Ritchie Burnett who underpinned the run chase with an unbeaten 32.
Earlier. Civil had a two bowlers to thanks for doing the bulk of the damage.
Howard Rose rolled back the years to grab four for 14. Michael Skidmore bagged four more for 29.
Danny Hardwick and Richard Boss made double-figure contributions for Shaldon, but their 105 was not enough to trouble Civil who won with overs to spare.