Hill and Watkin tuck into South Devon bowling as Abbots cruise to 106-run win

By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

ABBOTSKERSWELL trounced South Devon by 106 runs in a one-sided T20 challenge match at Marsh Road.

South Devon were full of optimism having already defeated an Abbotskerswell XI in warm-up game, but this Abbotskerswell XI was of a different complexion.

Captains past and present Charlie Hill (63) and Nick Watkin (54ret) put on 130 for the second wicket as Abbots raced to 168 for three. Hill hit seven fours and a six while Watkin put away six fours and two sixes.

Hill and Watkin were particularly severe on South Devon captain James Allen, whose three overs cost 38 runs. One of them went for 18.

As Abbots were 94 for one at halfway, South Devon did well to limit them to 168. Dillip Salinda, whose four overs only cost 18 runs, had a lot to do with keeping the scoring rate down.

Lahiru Samaradivakara, South Devon’s new Sri Lankan signing, bowled the cheapest over of the innings – it only cost three runs and all of them were wides. He had respectable figures of 4-0-27-0.

South Devon were in trouble right from the start as paceman Jay Hussain nipped out the top three by the time the total reached 11.

Matt Beasant made a steady 25 against one of his former clubs, but the only other South Devon batter to linger long was Ryan Maunder for his 10.

Wickets fell consistently with no partnership worth more than 14 in the innings.

South Devon’s Kalen Warne learned the hard way the dangers of trying to steal a run from a misfield when he was dismissed by a direct hit from Eddie Smout-Cooper, who was only aiming at a single stump and from distance. It was a brilliant piece of fielding worthy of a higher audience.

Hussain finished with three wickets for seven runs and there were two more for Ben Cowdry as South Devon stumbled to 62 all out with three overs to go.