IT looks like being a tough season for Barnstaple & Pilton, who are one off the bottom of the C Division East after another defeat.
The bowlers did well to limit Exmouth to 219 for nine – skipper Richard Baggs (67) and the ever-youthful Sean Day (58) both making half-centuries. Baggs put on 86 with Marc Douglas (32).
The batting was a disaster though as Barum collapsed to 41 all out. Opener George McEndoo made 15. No one else made more than eight.
Steve Moore, B&P’s long-serving captain, said: “I am not sure even Jurgen Klopp can turn this around.
“It was a really good effort to keep them to 219 but our batting is a big concern.
“We have not been helped by Jack starting the season with two noughts but we need to improve quickly.”
Jack is Jack Moore, the skipper’s 17-year-old all-rounder son who topped 600 league runs last season.
Day (3-14) and James Edworthy (3-10) took three wickets each and there were two more for Alex Craib (2-5).
Room for improvement was how Exmouth skipper Baggs saw Exmouth’s 178-run win.
“Again myself and Marc Douglas were playing really nicely and we both got out in poor ways,
“Last week Alvin bailed us out against Sidmouth and this week Sean Day batted brilliantly. But really, one of us who has got in must get a hundred.
“That aside the lads bowled brilliantly and gave nothing.
“The young lads gave it everything, which is great to see, and everyone contributed something in the game.
“Lads like Jack Ottaway coming in and getting 10, but did it in a stand of 40 for seventh wicket, which is vital.”
SIDMOUTH bounced straight back after their pasting by Exmouth to beat Alphington by 142 runs on the Chronicles.
The top half of the order all delivered runs as Sidmouth rocked along to 279 fir six.
Opener Nick Mansfield shared stands of 57 with Matt Cooke (32), 108 with Isaac Thomas (49) and 47 with Nick Gingell (27) before he was fifth out at 230 for 75.
Anthony Griffiths added 27 not out in a hurry at the end.
Kam Singh’s two for 28 off nine overs was a bright point for Alphington captain Luke Phillips.
Alphington were all out in reply for 137. Matt Taylor was top score with 38 and Phillips made 27. Wickets fell two by two to Matt Parker, Jashan Patidar, Cooke, Jordan Fowler and Byron Knowles.
The only way is up now for Alphington, who are propping up the table.
WHIMPLE are tucked in behind early leaders Exmouth 2nd XI after beating Exeter 2nd XI by seven wickets.
Exeter scraped up a meagre 107 all out in the 39th of their 45 overs. Marc Oelofse made 29 and Amarjeet Singh 21.
Exeter collapsed from 80 for four as Lee Nessling (3-35) and Matt Brown (2-11) got to work.
Whimple lost David Culshaw and Gareth Stoneman by the time they reached 10. Nathan Kidd (22no) and Cameron Kidd (61) put on 97 to level the scores and it was all over soon afterwards.
It is early days yet but Exeter have dropped behind Shobrooke Park into the bottom three, which will worry skipper Sean Langford.
SHOBROOKE Park got off the mark in the B Division thanks to a 16-run win over visiting Braunton.
Skipper Dan Robbins was the man of the moment for Shobrooke with runs and wickets.
Robbins top scored with 48 and veteran Richard Pyle made 41 down the order as Shobrooke totalled 159 all out in the 44th of 45 overs.
Braunton shared the wickets around with two each for Mark Johnson, Dan Brierley, Callum Mitchell and Mike Brown.
Braunton must have fancied their chances of a second league win, especially after Mitchell (34) and James Kemp (32) got them up to 104 for four. Then it all went wrong.
Robbins returned to the attack t claim two more wickets and finish with figures of four for 37 as Braunton were bowled out for 143.
Dan Brierley, Braunton’s disappointed captain, said: “A couple of missed chances in the field cost us overall.
“A few of us made rash decisions in the way we got out.”
MATT Hague hit an unbeaten 66 to guide Heathcoat 2nd XI to a three-wicket win in a photo finish against visiting Ottery.
Ottery’s overseas player Ollie West (78) and Lawrence Walker (57) both made 50-plus scores in 45-over total of 218 for nine.
Ottery were 105 without loss courtesy of West and Alex Clements 40) before Matt Hodson (3-43) split them up.
Heathcoat still had a long way to go at 64 for four with captain Jake Stoneman (36) just out to Sam Brook,
Hague and Alex Frankpitt (46) put on 67 to revive the chase. Hague shepherded the lower order over the line with just one ball to go.
