C DIVISION WEST ROUND-UP
ALPHINGTON kept the pressure up on leaders Abbotskerswell with a hefty 183-run win over Plymouth CS&R at the Chronicles.
Civil are clearly not the side that reached the promotion play-offs last season as they were skittled out for 108 in reply to Alphington’s 291 for seven.
The fact Civil didn’t have enough players to field a second team either suggests there is an issue.
All Alphington could do is play what is in front of them – and they made a pretty decent job of it!
Anthony Shepherd was the only one of the frontline batters to miss out as Alphas piled up the runs,
Dave Haysom (456) and Tom Bath (43) took the tally up to 68 for two, then Nick Halse (51) and Paul James (76) kicked on with 119 for the fifth wicket.
Matt Trevorrow (2-31) and Simon Light (0-33) bowled tidy nine-over spells for Civil. The rest of the bowlers went at six an over at least.
Civil reached 70 for two without too many issues – Brian Gaylard (14), Chris Newton (24) featuring – but collapsed in a heap after Atif Hussain was removed by James.
Spinner James went on to take five for 25 off nine overs as Civil lost eight wickets for 28 runs on the way to 108 all out.
Tom Bath and Andy Wilson were the supporting bowlers with two each.
Alphington skipper Stuart Shaw said: “Once we scored 291 the result was never in doubt, only how long it would take.
“We batted extremely well and it was good to see Andy Wilson back playing again and taking wickets.”
Alphas go to bottom side Chelston & Kingskerswell this Saturday.
THERE was a thrilling finish to the game between Chagford and Babbacombe, which went right down to the last ball.
Babbacombe made 201 for nine - Damon Calland making a top score of 47 – which Chagford passed off the final ball of the game with their last pair at the wicket.
Victory keeps Chagford in third place while Babbacombe drop down the table to fifth.
Chris Penner made 43 of the first 79 in the Babbacombe book and when he went Iraq Thomas (20) and Calland kept the score ticking over.
Nick Sleeman chipped in with a quick 21 not out at the end.
Pick of the Chagford bowlers for wickets was Nigel Letheren (4-25), Kenton Vos took two for 28.
James Fulner (77) and Vos (51) put on 121 for the second wicket as Chagford went off in hot pursuit.
Paul Bates(2-36), Calland (2-42) and Tim Goodwin (3-48) slowed the chase and a string of single-figure scores followed.
Stuart Lord (22) kept going but when he was ninth out at 177 to Steve Broad the end seemed nigh.
Last pair Rhys Holland (9) and Letheren (10) kept going and had the scores level with a ball to go. Holland hit Ben Passmore for four and the game was won.
Chagford go to Stoke Gabriel this Saturday.
CHELSTON & Kingskerswell’s tough time at the foot of the C Division West continued when they were eight-wicket losers at Bridestowe.
Skipper Mark Faulkner opted to bat first and must have wondered why when the team were 31 for five after a going over from Chris Lavis (3-17) and Tom Fogerty (2-11).
“Lack of application,” was Faulkner’s summation.
The lower order stirred briefly with Gary Brenton (13) and Mohammed Shah (11) making some progress, but a combination of Gary Sizmur (2-32) and Lee Jutson (2-12) accounted for the bottom half of the order.
Bridestowe lost wickets at 21 and 49 on their way to victory – both taken by Vivek Kulkarni (2-26).
Sizmur carried his bat for 30 and was backed up James Ewen (21) and Tom Fogerty (34no).
With no wins in five games, Chelston are 17 points adrift at the bottom of the table.
STOKE Gabriel were quickly back in the groove after their defeat by Alphington with a four-wicket derby win over Kingsbridge.
Skipper James Westlake, stumped down the leg-side for 53 and Freddie Ford (41no) were Kings’ prime run getters in a total of 173 for six.
Jake Robinson and Jack Tolley had two wickets each for Stoke.
Nathan Hicks made 55 early on for Stoke, then Neil Robinson (26) and Alex Bertram (31) nudged them towards victory.
Skipper Tolley said: “It was a top result and gets us closer to the seven wins we were aiming for before the season started - onwards and upwards from here.
“Hopefully, last week was just a minor blip
“We all fielded well with great intensity from start to finish.
“Nathan Hicks looked good with the bat again, but it was a real test of character for the middle to lower order and we showed we were good enough,
Alex Bertam batted beautifully alongside Neil Robinson before a couple of sixes from Will Bentley and Ed Gillin got us across the line.”
Losing skipper Westlake said there are areas to be addressed if Kingsbridge want to climb the table.
“We didn't push on after drinks when batting,” he said.
“In the field it was the same thing that has cost us two games we have lost and that's dropped catches.
“We dropped four catches which probably would have seen us come out of the game with a win.”
