Plymouth CS&R aiming to retain Tidball Insurance Services Cup in finals day at Teignmouth & Shaldon
HARRY EVERETT REPORTING
FINALS Day of the Tidball Cup, sponsored by Richard Tidball Insurance Services, takes place at Teignmouth & Shaldon CC tomorrow (August 13).
Ivybridge 3rd XI will take on Cullompton in the morning semi-final (10am), followed by Plymouth CS&R 1st XI tackling Plymouth 3rd XI in the lunchtime semi at 1pm. The winning teams will compete in the final, commencing at 4pm.
Cullompton lost on a toss of a coin at Ivybridge at the quarter-final stage, but have been re-instated in the competition as replacements for Exeter 3rd XI.
Exeter informed competition organisers they would be unable to play in finals day due to a number of scheduling and selection issues beyond their control.
Derek Taylor, the Exeter CC secretary, said: “Regretfully we took the decision this morning not to take part in the Tidball Cup finals tournament.
“Our third team comprises many young players who have been selected to represent the Devon Cricket Board age-group squads on the same day.
“A further issue is the fact some adult players who would normally feature in Exeter III teams have now played too many games for Exeter II in D Division East. That renders them ineligible according to Devon League Cup Competition rules.”
Exeter suggested to league officials running the competition that Sidbury, the team they eliminated in the last eight, should be invited to replace them.
After Sidbury said ‘no’ the remaining quarter-final losers were canvassed as potential replacements and Cullompton emerged as the only one of the quartet able to step-in.
Plymouth knocked out Plympton 3rd XI in the South-West Devon derby to earn them the second semi-final from 1pm Sunday afternoon against Plymouth Civil Service & Roborough in another all-South-West Devon affair.
Alan Smith’s side will be aiming to retain the cup they lifted 12 months ago with a 26-run win over Topsham St James in the final at Cornwood.
See my brief June update on this competition for a roundup of Plymouth CS&R’s journey here so far:
Kudos to Civil for getting their quarter-final played so early, but it does mean it’s been a while since the momentum of their last round win!
Sunday 27 August is the reserve day should tomorrow’s final be cancelled due to the weather (also at Teignmouth & Shaldon).
