C Division West round-up – week three: Pens' opener Heath rattles-up century against Plymstock
CORNWOOD 2nd XI were glad of lower-order revival for helping them to a 52-run win over Paignton 2nd XI that keeps them out in front at the top of the C Division West.
Chris Parker (47) made the only score of note in the top five as Cornwood ambled along to 102 for four.
Matt Puttock, who went in at 111 for six compiled 46 off 45 balls during stands with Will Sharp (18) and Harry Woolway (19no) that got the total up to 190 for eight. And Jacob Caunter’s scampered 18 not out earned maximum bonus points in a final tally of 223 for eight.
Paignton’s Arthur Ray spun away for figures of three for 53. Lewis Swar (2-38) and Stephen George (9-0-31-0) were hard to score off.
Paignton lost opener Sam Simcox in the first over after tea, but got to 110 for four with runs from Brenton Pedley (44).
The turning point was a three-over spell during which Paignton dipped to 123 for eight with dangerman Neil Hancock among the casualties. The former Devon captain was in and out for nine. Swar (29) hung around for long enough to help Paignton reach 171 all out.
James Richardson’s three-wicket return included Hancock. Will Sharp and Alex Robinson claimed two wickets each.
Robin Dart, the Cornwood captain, said the manner of victory rather than the size of it was what pleased him most.
“Paignton are a good side, and got on top of us at times, but I was really impressed that every time they did we dug-in and shifted momentum back in our favour,” said Dart.
“With the ball we were really unlucky in the first 15 overs not to take more wickets, but with the quality of bowlers we have there was no let up and we broke partnerships before they could really get going.
“We never dropped our intensity which is always great, we're all focused on our goals and there's healthy competition for places. As a second-team captain that is a huge blessing.”
SOUTH Devon cruised to a seven-wicket win over Chudleigh in the derby tussle at Kate Brook.
It was the first time since these closest of neighbours had met in the league since 2016 when the corresponding fixture in the B Division was rained-off.
Chudleigh struggled to get going against the bowling of South Devon skipper Jon Martin, one of their old boys, Mali Marshall (2-19) and Jack Allen.
Rob Clarke, in at two for two in the third over down from Martin (3-31) was the not out batter in a running total of 33 for seven.
Clarke was still there at the end on 56 not out. A ninth-wicket stand of 78 with Kam Singh (45) gave an air of respectability to the scoreline that seemed unlikely at 70 for eight.
South Devon went off in pursuit with openers Jonty Tupman (66no) and Aaron Hammett (30) making a 97-run dent in the deficit.
Luke Quaintance (2-28), slowed things down for a while, as did six bowling changes, but the arrival of Marshall, who hit 28 of his 31 runs in boundaries, sped South Devon to victory with more than 16 overs in hand.
ASHBURTON remain tucked in behind Cornwood at the top of the C Division West following a three-wicket win over Kingsbridge.
Kingsbridge opener James Westlake batted from start to finish for an unbeaten century in Town’s total of 214 for five.
Westlake, who reached three figures in the 45th and final over, put on 53 with James Brown; 80 with James Fletcher (47) and 63 unbroken with Connor Rothwell (27no).
Although wickets were hard to come by, there were two each for Aditya More and Will Coon.
Opener Steve Edmonds compiled a patient 76 that helped Ashburton reach 148 for three on the chase. Nick Martin added another 30, then More (31no) guided Ashes the rest of the way.
CARL Woolnough and Tshepo Legodi shared a crucial century stand that guided Teignmouth & Shaldon in sight of a three-wicket win over Brixham.
Teignmouth & Shaldon were a wobbly 107 for six chasing 223 to win when Legodi ambled out to join Woolnough in the middle.
Opener Ruben Minnaar had long been and gone for 41 by then with nothing better than a brace of 18s in the scorebook after that.
Mohammed Shaikh (3-25), Brad McKee (2-69) and Matt Adams (2-40) had been largely on top before Woolnough (43) and Legodi (49no) got together. Their match-turning stand of 101 just left loose ends to tie up, which Legodi did with Jawad Shirzad (6no).
Brixham’s 45-over total of 222 for nine owed plenty to the joint efforts of Shaikh and Tim Robinson, who put on 99 for the fifth wicket.
Robinson contributed 50 to the stand, which ended when he fell to Tyler Blackburn. Shaikh was the last man out for 101. No one else made more than 17.
Lively Afghan seamer Shirjad took the bowling honours for T&S with a four-for-44 return.
PLYMSTOCK 2nd XI are still looking for their first win of the season in the C Division West after suffering a 108-run defeat at Ipplepen.
Ipplepen were always in the driving seat after piling-up 302 for eight in a 45-over game – veteran opener Jeff Heath leading the way with a century.
Chasing at seven an over was always going to be a challenge, especially against a containing bowling attack largely operating around four an over.
Tom Baker’s unbeaten 44 came too late in the day to alter the outcome, only the margin of it, as Plymstock bowed out for 194.
Defeat leaves Plymstock rock bottom with only Brixham for company in the basement.
Heath, who has been scoring runs for Ipplepen over four decades, made 102 off 98 balls with 18 boundaries. He was involved in stand that took the total of nought to 214 for three. Steve Bowden (45) was at the other end while 121 was added for the third wicket.
Sam Wakeham made 50 in a hurry as the Pens accelerated in the final eight overs.
Tom Baker, Harvey Hall and Jacob Hole all had two wickets each for Plymstock.
Plymstock lost Mamin Chowdhury in the second over when he flailed at Paul Thomas outside the off-stump and was caught behind.
Hole (32) and Connor Porter (34) put on a leisurely 80 for the second wicket as the asking rate climbed.
Freddie Harvey (4-34) broke the stand between Hole and Porter as Plymstock crept to 124 for five.
Bowden (3-31) got into the bottom half of the order, but Baker kept the Pens out in the field longer than they anticipated.
