Newton Tracey tie with Woodbury & Newton St Cyres | Gear family all in the runs
By OLLIE SMITH
WOODBURY & Newton St Cyres’ captain, Steve Boundy, scored his maiden league ton for the club as his side posted 283/7 from their 45 overs against Newton Tracey, the highest score in the E Division East across the first two weekends.
Rob Gear, formerly of Devon CCC and North Devon, was the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets for 26 runs from his 
allocation.
Newton Tracey’s response couldn’t have got off to a worse start, with both openers, Oliver Symons and Andrew Hart, out for two-ball ducks.
The star of the bowling innings, Rob Gear, came to the crease with the score at 77-3, and rolled back the years with a century containing 15 boundaries, all fours, before being bowled by Martin Pearce seven runs from eight balls still required of his team.
There were contributions from the two other Gears on the team sheet, as Martin (brother) and Simon (captain and cousin) were second and third top scorers with 55 and 33 respectively.
DELIVERED
Simon Gear, the Newton Tracey 1st XI captain, was full of praise for his family’s efforts, “Martin, at the age of 48, is one of the most aesthetically pleasing batters in north Devon, and Rob was called upon and delivered again.”
Gear (S) had thought the game was out of their reach very early on, “when we lost both openers for a duck in the first over, and our number three batter had an injury, yes, we did think the game was gone.”
“Rob and I were ticking along for the sixth wicket, and we needed six an over at one point, and I’m sure Woodbury were feeling the same.”
“For the game to come down to the last ball is frustrating for us, as I am sure it is for Woodbury, but ultimately it was a fair result for all involved.”
