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PREMIER DIVISION

MIKE Durand batted through the ‘wobbles' as Sandford 2nd XI beat South Devon by four wickets to claim their first league win of the season.

   It wasn't Durand who was wobbling but Sandford, who veered off course chasing a modest 151 to win.

   When South Devon had Sandford 94 for five in reply, it looked like the visitors were back in the game. Ian Shepherd (3-45) and Chris Metters (2-29) had worked hard to make a game of it after Paul Smith went for 26.

   Durrand batted on to make 61 not out as he and Jason Matten (20no) knocked off the rest of the runs without further incident.

   Earlier in proceedings, Metters (43) had top scored for South Devon in their total of 150 all out.

   Brian Allen and Adrian Hewings (34) put the first 31 on the board, then Metters and Hewinsgs added another 76. From then on it was downhill all the way for South Devon as Richard Coupe (3-39) and Peter Steer (3-21) shot them out.

   On a bad day all-round for South Devon, who have lost three in a row now, batsman Neil Matthews was taken to hospital for a check-over after top-edging a delivery from Ryan Glass into his face.

 

ON a day when few matches survived the bad weather, Budleigh Salterton 2nd Xi travelled to North Devon and won by six wickets.
    Budleigh arrived at Instow to find dry conditions and blue sky. Overnight rain had left a damp patch on part of the wicket; otherwise the ground was in fine condition
    North Devon got a solid though unspectacular start through Bob Heaman (43) and James Starkey (73), whose stand of 114 took the score up to 144 for two.
    Although North Devon had wickets in hand, they were running out of overs and the last 10 definitely belonged to Budleigh Salterton.
    James Burton spun his way to four for 31 and Ian Taylor claimed two for 46 as North Devon slowed to reach 175 for eight.
    Only 22 runs were scored in the last 10 overs as Budleigh bowled tightly and sharpened up their act in the field.
Lloyd White bowled well had could have had couple wickets if catches been taken.
    Skipper Taylor later described some of the fielding as ‘embarrassing’.
    With veteran Rob Newing unable to travel, skipper Taylor tried a new opening partnership of Burton and Neil Murrin.
    Both had to work hard for runs as North Devon’s super-veteran Colin Payne was bowling tidily.
    Murrin was caught at short-fine leg with the score on 39 after 18 overs. Mark Hammett and Nathan Hardy went cheaply as Budleigh dipped to 55 for three.
    Chris Horne and Burton retrenched and their quick running between the wickets started to frustrate North Devon.
    Burton moved easily to his 50 and Horne got to 41 off 47 balls before he departed on 122 for four.
    Taylor joined Burton and in 10 overs they knocked off the rest with the skipper unbeaten in 23 alongside Burton’s 92 not out.

   Budleigh move up to fourth in the table, 11 points behind leaders Plympton, whose turn it is this week to have Saturday off.

 

THE entire A Division 2nd XI schedule was called off without a ball bowled anywhere.