IPPLEPEN are back on top of the B Division after a dramatic one-wicket win over Bideford.

Bideford, who were top, made 243 for seven before their overs ran out.

An opening stand of 110 between Matt Shepherd (67) and James Ford (52) laid the foundations, which were built on by the middle order.

Shepherd – 13 fours from 71 balls faced – went first with Ford following on 141 to Pens’ skipper Sam Wakeham, who deployed himself as a partnership breaker.

Tom Brend (26), Jayson Bartolo (30) and Fred King (23no) kept the runs coming after drinks.

Veteran spinner Marcus Green (3-55) was the pick of the wicket takers for Pens. Steve Bowden’s none for 29 off nine was tidy.

Opener Jack Lewis showed Pens meant business by anchoring the chase with a solid 77.

By the time Lewis was run out by Brend, he had put on 86 with Mawgan Penrice and 54 with Jack Wylie.

Bartolo, who had already bowled Wylie, then got involved. He took three more wickets in a hurry, reducing Pens to 209 for nine. Six wickets had gone for 20 runs in five overs.

Big hitter Wakeham was still there though and if last man Will Gornall could stick around Pens had a chance.

There was just one snag – Gornall was injured and batting with a runner.

Wakeham generally plays one way - he goes at it hard – and his win or bust hitting got Pens home. He finished on 43 not out from 23 balls, four of which he hit for six to complement his three fours.

With second-placed Shobrooke Park losing too, it was another all change weekend at the top. Tavistock are second with Bideford third and Shobrooke fourth.

Defeated captain Paul Heard said what he thought was a winning total became a losing one due to a poor performance in the field.

“Batting first we built what we thought was a pretty good score,” said Heard.

“We may have left 20 runs in the middle overs but 244 was defendable.

“We never hit our potential with the ball, were far too inconsistent with our lines and the fielding was below standard.

“Credit to Ipplepen who batted well throughout and just out performed us on the day.”

Pens’ skipper Wakeham said it was one of the best games of cricket he had ever been part of.

“We bowled well in the power play and were unlucky not to pick up wickets early on,” he said.

“During a poor spell in the middle we didn’t let Bideford get away from us and our death bowlers restricted them to under 250.”

Wakeham agreed the game could have got away after Bartolo’s intervention, ruining the good work by Lewis, Wylie and Co.

“It came down to myself and Will and a target of 36 to win,” said Wakeham.

Gornall played sensibly at his end; Wakeham did what he does.

The target became nine to win off three overs. Wakeham won it in three hits – 6, 2 and 6 again.

FILLEIGH missed a chance to get away from the bottom of the table when their game against fellow strugglers Ottery St Mary was called off due to wet weather.

The game at Deer Park was the only one of 75 in the entire competition rained off on Saturday.

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