EAST EAST ONE
By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE
SIDMOUTH 2nd XI were on the receiving end of an historic three-ton battering when they ran into Upottery in East East One.
With three of their batsmen registering centuries, Upottery hurtled to 393 for five in their 40 overs.
CRASH! Opener Matt Button-Stephens cracked 103
BANG! Ollie Cave smote 107 in a stand of 152 with Button-Stephens
WALLOP! Jamie Mitcham also belted 103, putting on 156 for the third wicket with Button-Stephens
Button-Stephens was finally fourth out with the score in 350 – and in the time left Rob Tasker made a brisk 49.
It is not unheard of for two batsmen to score centuries in the same Devon League game, but there is no record in the archives of three in one match at any level.
Sidmouth were all out for 95 in reply. Keeper and captain Louis Adey (32) made the only double-figure score in a 298-run defeat.
Ben Kidson and Brad Winsley had four wickets each for Upottery, who can expect a stiffer challenge from leaders Kilmington this Saturday.
Mark Joyce, the Upottery captain, accepted that Sidmouth’ side was not as strong as it would have been this time last year due to demands from the 1st XI to fill in for players who have taken the season off.
Joyce added: “But you still have to despatch the bowling and we did that quite ruthlessly.”
Debutant Cave was the latest new recruit at Upottery, who have been strengthening for some time with a view to clambering up the league ladder once promotion and relegation return.
“We have slowly been adding to our side in the hope that this sort of thing might take place and, on the day, the lads batted so well,” said Joyce.
So which of the three tons was the best? Joyce said: “Matthew Button-Stephens did what I have been looking for him to do, occupy an end while others bat around him. He did just that and got his rewards when he also clocked up a three-figure score.”
OTTERY St Mary made table-topping Kilmington work hard for a two-wicket win in East East One.
Ollie Reed (2-31) yorked Ottery opener Joe Henkus with the first ball of the match, but a stand of 107 between Alex Clements (37) and Eddie Rudolph (62) moved the innings along.
After Josh Short (2-32) removed Rudolph then Clements, Brett Garner (3-39) got into Ottery’s middle order and they were bowled out for 180 in the last of their 40 overs.
Kilmington limped to 58 for five in reply as Will Harrison (3-36) doing most of the damage.
Ottery could not shift Billy Reed though and when brother Ollie joined him the tempo changed.
Billy rifled 66 and Ollie 52 in a stand of 105 that made the result a formality. By the time Ollie was bowled by George Southall-Brown (2-26) the target was three to win.
Kilmington skipper Garner praised the Reed brothers for turning a likely defeat into a win.
“Ottery outplayed us, but we managed to dig in at times and it was the Reed brothers who dug us out of a deep hole in the run chase to set up the win,” said Garner.
“The Reed lads batted very well and that’s what we have in this team: a number of players who can step up when others have perhaps not done it.
“I was just as much to blame as I played a woeful shot to the first ball I got and was out.”
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