CLYST St George skipper Dan Kendall is hoping to learn lessons for the future from a 62-run defeat by Braunton in the first round of B Division matches.

“We have lots to work on and look forward to putting things right against Ivybridge next,” said Kendall.

Braunton did not get off to the best of starts as they lost South African opener Kyle Faber to a first-ball ‘Jaffa’ Ted Brown that beat the bat and clattered into the middle and off stumps.

Sam Bithell and Callum Mitchell came and went in a running total of 38 for three – and when Sam Reddick (27) was caught having a go at Par Singh it was 70 for four.

Runs started coming from Theo Valeri (23) and the theme continued while Steve Aston and Andy Norman batted together.

Aston, an England Over-60 player, soldered up one end for (55) as he and Andrew Norman (56) added 101 for the sixth wicket.

Dan Brierley signalled his intent to get on with it in the final five overs by clattering Bertie Creer’s first ball to him to the boundary. He made 46 off just 16 balls as Braunton got to 262 for nine.

Singh (1-32) bowled nine tidy overs and Owain Saville’s one for 23 from seven was good value.

Creer finished with four for 72. He was flayed for 45 runs in his second spell of four overs while Brierley was in full cry.

Clyst were 95 for three 20 overs into their reply with Nathan Wells 43 not out. Then Wells got out and the chase lost momentum as veteran spinners Jon Baglow (2-23) and Steve Moore (2-22) applied the handbrake.

Creer (47no) was the last standing in a Clyst total of 200 for nine when the overs ran out.

Looking back on the game, Kendall said: “We weren't able to capitalise on strong starts to both innings.

“Ted gave us the dream start by bowling Faber first ball. But we bowled inconsistently – and credit to the Braunton middle and lower order who batted very well. 

“A couple of good knocks from Nathan Wells, up top, and Bertie Creer at the end made sure we got to 200.”