C DIVISION WEST ROUND-UP
JACOB Hand marked is return to Babbacombe with a ‘faultless’ century in the 106-run win over visiting South Devon.
Hand last featured in Babbacombe’s 2013 E Division promotion-winning team, arriving halfway through the campaign and cracking 500 runs to seal the deal.
South Devon were on the receiving end of 111 from the young Aussie as Babbacombe compiled 270 for seven in 45 overs.
Andy Kingdon smacked 43 in his first league game for two years – he was injured all last season – and put on 78 with Hand for the second wicket.
By the time Hand was seventh out on 234, one of two scalps for Jay Hargreaves (2-59), he had featured in further stands of 48 with Mike Pugh and 86 with Matt Inch.
Getting Hand out barely slowed Babbacombe as Andy McVeigh bludgeoned a quick 40 not out.
Dave Knowles (2-32) and James Allen (1-34 off nine) had South Devon’s best bowling figures.
South Devon needed a decent start to have any sort of chance – and at 73 for five were already out of it. Allen had 24 of them.
Richard Beaumont played middle-order anchorman for a patient 59 as South Devon set out to salvage what points they could.
Beaumont took South Devon to 152 for eight before the returning McVeigh (2-29) prised him out.
Paul Bates (3-15) had already gone through the middle order, leaving Damon Calland (2-19) and McVeigh to knock off the stragglers in South Devon’s all-out total of 164.
Steve Broad, the Babbacombe captain, said it looked more comfortable than it was at times as there was work to be done by the batters.
“We recovered well from losing Steve Lewis for a duck with the score on two thanks to Jacob and Andy Kingdon,” said Broad.
“Andy put two consecutive sixes into the car park – one of which went through the back window of a car!
“Mike Pugh’s dismissal started a small collapse to 134 for five – and at that point the game was well balanced.
Jacob accelerated out innings and some hard hitting from McVeigh and Inch got us to 270 for seven – a huge score for us at our place in the first game.”
South Devon skipper Ali Wright, whose father’s car was on the receiving end of Kingdon’s big hitting, was quick to praise Hand’s contribution.
“He made a faultless ton and the rest batted around him really well,” said Wright.
“On the whole I thought we performed well against a team that should be right up there by the end of the season.
They got away from us at the end so we’ll be doing some more work on our bowling at the death.
“James Allen and Rich Beaumont in particular made very encouraging contributions.
“A few more players available for selection against Bridestowe this week as well, so we’re looking to bounce back with a win straight away.”
Babbacombe are away to Plymouth CS&R.
ASHBURTON are up and running in the C Division West after beating Chagford by eight-wickets in a one-sided affair.
Chagford, who won the toss and batted, were all out for 111 in the 22nd over.
Skipper Derek Lammonby opened up and made 51 – one of just three double-figure scores.
Craig Penberthy made 13- he and Lammonby opened with 44 – and Paul Penberthy chipped in with 16.
No one else made more than five and four batters didn’t manage a run between them.
Matt Churchill spun out three for 13 and there were two wickets each for Ashley Harvey (2-28) and Will Coon (2-27).
Ashburton didn’t rush the chase – they were out there 33 overs – although having tea mid-innings always slows things down.
Openers Martin Causey (23) and Lloyd White (22) went wiping off the first 55, leaving Tom Durman (28no) and Aussie new boy Tristan Wakefield (25no) to finish the task.
Winning skipper Ashley Berry said: “I was impressed with how efficiently we went about our business.
“Chagford could have made it a lot harder had we not turned up.
“Drom the start we knew we had control at all times. We are all delighted with the way the season has started and no doubt we will take the momentum into this Saturday.”
Ashburton travel to Dartington and Totnes this Saturday looking to make it two from two.
BRIDESTOWE got off to a winning start when they defeated Dartington & Totnes by four wickets.
The odds were stacked Bridestowe’s way after they bundled out D&T for a meagre 107 in 41 overs.
Tom Fogerty (3-15) immediately had the D&T batsmen in trouble and picked up two early wickets.
Alex Jopling (2-27) also picked up a couple of wickets, the first of which was thanks to a sharp stumping by Pat Ewen to remove Miller for 24.
Opener Elliot Miller made 24 for D&T – he was third out at 35 – then Chris Cook (32) and Ollie Payne (20) took the score to 92 for five.
When Cook was bowled by new Bridestowe skipper Dan Fogerty, D&T fell apart.
Dan Fogerty went through the bottom of the card for figures of four for 10. Brother Tom Fogerty returned for a second spell and picked off a tail-ender for figures of three for 15.
D&T needed early wickets to put pressure on Bridestowe – and 40 without loss with Gary Sizmur going well wasn’t the start they needed.
Harry Baxendale turned the game with a four-wicket burst from one end while spinner Cook (1-19 off eight) was bottling up the other.
It was a different story when Bridestowe were 71 for five, but Sizmur was still there. His stand of 32 with Tom Fogerty just about won the game for Bridestowe.
By the time Sizmur was caught at cover by Baxendale off Miller for 47 the target was five to win and the contest over.
Tom Fogerty (21*) saw Bridestowe home with 15 overs remaining.
SHALDON Optimists came up short on the chase at Kingsbridge, whose total of 169 all out was a winning one.
Kingsbridge didn’t have any sizeable partnerships when they batted – nothing greater than 32 – and relied on bits and pieces all the way down to number 10.
Youngster Freddie Ford top scored on 23, Ashley Treeby was next best on 22 and knocks of 19 from Matt Peach and 18 by Bhanu deSilva proved handy.
Shaldon’s Andy Lockyer got into the bottom half of the order to take five for 29. Earlier, Carl Woolnough (3-26) prospered.
Shaldon didn’t construct any partnership better than the one between openers Karl Blackburn (19) and Todd Ballman (13) of 25 for the first wicket.
Lockyer (28) and Jamie Day (20) chipped away at the deficit, but all the time Ford (4-20) was chipping away the wickets in hand
Shaldon had it all to do after Ford bowled Day on 134 for eight. They were all out for 150 and lost by 19 runs.
Shaldon are at home to Stoke Gabriel this Saturday.
Kingsbridge make the long trek to Chagford.
THINGS can only get better for Stoke Gabriel this Saturday after they were skittled out for 62 by Plymouth Civil Service and Roborough.
James Sharpe top scored for Civil with 61 in their total of 178 all out.
Andy Ball (3-43) led the Stoke bowling effort, aided an abetted by Dan Bullock and Issac Withington with a couple each.
Take Jake Robinson’s 39 out of Stoke’s 62 all out and there wasn’t much from the rest.
Darren Bartrop took four for eight and Sharpe three for 11 as Stoke were consigned to a 116-run defeat.
