THERE won’t be another relegation reprieve for Bovey Tracey this season after a seven-wicket defeat by Paignton on the final day of the season dropped them into the Premier Division bottom two.
The game was billed as a last-day nail-biter between two sides jostling to avoid relegation alongside long-doomed Plympton.
Paignton skipper Noah Wright, and opposite number Peter Bradley, both knew a win would definitely keep their side up.
The losers would be left sweating on Monday night meeting of the league’s executive to determine whether two sides would go down, or just one?
For the second year in a row the side finishing runners-up in the A Division is not eligible for promotion. As Bridestowe don’t meet enough of the ECB’s criteria for Premier Division status, promotion is blocked.
The issue facing the league management was whether to promote third-placed Plymouth instead of Bridestowe, or go for one-up, one-down? That would reprieve Bovey Tracey from relegation.
This time last year it was Kilmington who finished second with Torquay third. As neither was eligible for promotion, the league opted for one-up, one-down. That decision reprieved Bovey Tracey from relegation.
Second time around there was no reprieve for Bovey Tracey as the league’s executives voted unanimously for two-up, two-down.
The last time a third-placed team was elevated into the Premier Division was in 1990 when Galmpton were blocked from promotion due to their ground facilities. Seaton went up instead and stayed in the top flight for five years.
Man of the moment for Paignton with 64 not out – nine fours, two sixes – was opening batsman Luke Medlock. Skipper Wright was 10 not out at the opposite end when Medlock launched Clifford-Bourne for six to win the game.
Wright said it was ‘great to get the result’ then added: “It was exactly what the boys deserved after their hard work throughout the year.
“There have been lots of learnings for us and we go again next year.”
Bovey’s top order were blown away by Charlie Ward (3-45) and Abhay Negi (5-25) who, between them virtually reduced the home side to 52 for nine in the 24th over. Lewis Hammett (13) had the only score above five at that point.
Total embarrassment was fended-off by the last-wicket pair of Bradley (38no) and tail-ender Ollie Clifford-Bourne (11).
Paignton needed one ball more than 30 overs to bowl-out Bovey – and one ball fewer than 19 over to knock-off the runs.
Man of the moment for Paignton with 64 not out – nine fours, two sixes – was opening batsman Luke Medlock. Skipper Wright was 10 not out at the opposite end when Medlock launched Clifford-Bourne for six to win the game.
