By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE
HEATHCOAT skipper Peter Randerson had every reason to be grateful for Liam Lewis’ contribution to the 24-run win over Hatherleigh that put his side joint top of Premier North table with Sandford.
Heathcoat suffered a dreadful start as openers Rob Holman and first-ball casualty Randerson were in and out before double figures were scored.
Lewis, in at first wicket down, then took over the task of run scoring by cracking the Hatherleigh attack for 136 at better than run-a-ball rate.
Lewis had more than one scare in one nine-ball over from Sean Letheren when:
- The ball grazed a stump but did not dislodge a bail
- A snick off the edge of his bat fell short of carrying to the fielder at slip
- He was hit pretty firmly in the box and took a while recovering his composure
- And finished by whacking the Hatherleigh seamer for a four then a six!
Such was Lewis’ domination of the Hatherleigh bowling that in a stand of 45 for the third wicket with Joe Du’Gay, his partner scored just one run!
Toby Lochead (15) stoppered up one end while Lewis hit out at the other while 58 were added for the fifth wicket.
Jamie Drew (23) was the supporting act in a stand of 72 for the sixth wicket that took Hatherleigh to 190.
Spinner Eddie Jones finally accounted for Lewis when he had him caught by Gareth Tidball. Jones finished with figures of four for 37 in Heathcoat’s total of 203 for nine.
As Hatherleigh is noted as a high-scoring ground due to short boundaries in some directions, the home side had every reason to feel they were in with a shout.
At 46 for five approaching the end of the 19thover, following a going over from Jamie Drew (3-12) and Jack Menheneott, captain Rob Cockwell may have been a little less confident.
Enter Paul Heard (67) and keeper Ryan Davies (45) whose stand of 111 re-energised the chase.
Rob Holman’s under-used off-spin broke the stand when he snared Davies lbw and with him out of the way the next four wickets went for 17 runs scored as Hatherleigh faded to 179 all out. Christian Cabburn (3-45) mopped up at the end.
Winning captain Randerson said it was a good win over a young Hatherleigh side that is only going to get better over the coming seasons.
On his two main playmakers, Randerson said: “ Liam Lewis was at his absolute best as to score 132 without offering a real chance was fantastic.
“Jamie Drew with the ball was superb. He bowled with control and 3-12 was a brilliant return.”
Skipper’s don’t like losing, but Hatherleigh’s Rob Cockwill could live with this one in the light of his team’s performance.
“I thought we bowled and fielded well, with good performances from all our bowlers,” said Cockwill.
“We just needed one of our top four to get a score and I think we would have won. We just left too much work to do for the lower order.
“Paul Heard and Ryan Davies gave us a chance of winning with a great partnership.
“Obviously Liam Lewis' brilliant innings was the main difference between the sides. On another day, with luck on our side, he could have been out early when the ball hit the stump but the bails didn't come off.
“Overall, very happy with a battling performance from the team when we had a lot of young and inexperienced players stepping up.”
Click here to read report and reaction on North Devon v Sandford
