C Division West round-up – week five: Chudleigh batters Clarke (pictured) and Robinson smash divisional last-wicket record
CHUDLEIGH won for the first time this season in the C Division West when they came away from Ipplepen 2nd XI with a 24-run victory.
Rob Clarke top scored with 92 not out for Chudleigh in a total of 206 for nine.
Clarke, batting at four, was involved in stands that added 166 to the Chudleigh total – the most important being the last one.
Tail-ender Andrew Robinson went out to join Clarke with the score on 105 for nine after Pens’ bowlers Paul Thomas (5-25) and Harry Lewis (2-17) had worked them over.
Robinson batted through to the end with Clarke for an unbeaten 28 that added 101 unbroken for the last wicket.
Devon League records are notoriously inaccurate, but if the record books are correct then Clarke and Robinson smashed the previous tenth wicket stand by a distance! The previous best was 64, set by Chagford pair Derek Lammonby and Chris Rowlands against Bridestowe in 2015.
Ipplepen stumbled along to 72 for six in response as Will Heather (4-31) cut down the early and middle order. The last man out was Mawgan Penrice for 53.
Freddie Harvey (42) and Sam Hennessy (45) battled back and Dom Durman (18) hung around grittily at the end.
A direct-hit run-out of Lewis, nearly performed by Roger Wensley, finished the match with Ipplepen on 182.
OPENER Steve Edmonds helped himself to a century for table-topping Ashburton in their 121-run win over Paignton 2nd XI.
Edmonds, a former Paignton player, hit 16 fours and two sixes on the way to 125 off 129 deliveries.
By the time Edmonds was prised out by Tom Blundell, he had been at one end while 247 runs went in the laptop.
Best of the stands was the first one between Edmonds and Dan Coles (43) that went from 0-131 in 21 overs.
Lloyd White (22), Aditya More (31no) and Ashley Berry (27no) did not hang about when their turns came. They helped the total along to 310 for five.
Paignton, who have only won once so far this season, started encouragingly with a century stand between openers Steve George (39) and Brenton Pedley (51). It all went pear-shaped after that.
Chris Yeo (3-38) and Will Coon (3-39) dealt with the front end batters; More (3-28) deal wot the lower order and a rare over from occasional bowler White accounted for last man Jacob Lander with the score on 189.
SOUTH Devon warmed-up for their top-of-the-table clash with Cornwood 2nd XI this Saturday with a five-wicket win over Plymstock 2nd XI.
There were two wickets each for South Devon skipper Jonny Martin (2-12) and Mali Marshall (2-18) as Plymstock were bowled out for 162.
Mike Blackmore top scored for Plymstock with 56. Dave Ling (29) and Al Thomas (36) both chipped in.
Dan Yates led the South Devon reply with a half-century, aided and abetted by Aaron Hammett (22). Ling and Simon Light claimed two wickets each.
It was third-placed South Devon’s fourth win on the spin and moved them within three points of second-in-the-table Cornwood, whom they face this Saturday on the Marsh Road ground.
Said Martin: “I never really like looking at league tables until the turnaround but the next game will give us some idea of where we actually stand and what to aim for going forward.”
TEIGNMOUTH & Shaldon overwhelmed Kingsbridge by 78 runs after piling-up a whopping 309 all out at the Butts.
Ruben Minnaar walloped the Kingsbridge bowling for 105 off 56 balls – 15 fours and five sixes – as T&S dashed to 175 for three.
Josh Couch (41) and Alastair Cliffe (85) did their bit too. Cliffe, in at 79 for two, was involved in partnerships that added 211 runs to the tally.
Although bat ruled over ball while T&S batted, Connor Rothwell (4-59) and Jack Brown (2-41) emerged with respectable bowling figures for Kingsbridge.
Kingsbridge ran out of time with the score on 231 for nine. Jack Brown top-scored with 57 at the top of the order. There were runs for James Westlake (26) and James Fletcher in the top five, and 35 from Rothwell.
Minnaar (3-33) and Ross Jameson (3-12) were T&S’s most successful bowlers.
CORNWOOD 2nd XI were knocked off the top of the C Division West by a three-wicket defeat against Brixham.
The Wood, previously unbeaten in four starts, have dropped back to second behind Ashburton, whose win over Paignton 2nd XI preserved their unbeaten record.
Cornwood always had plenty to do after dipping to 34 for six under early pressure from Brad McKee (3-35) and Rhys Dallow (3-30).
Craig Harris (41) and acting captain Jason Hall (24) dug in for a stand of 48 that staved off total collapse.
Once Lee Upham (4-39) broke the stand by dismissing Harris, it was downhill all the way to 121 all out.
Brixham did not have it all their own way on the way to victory – Josiah Caunter (4-20) made sure of that – and at 76 for five there were nails being chewed.
Mohammed Shaikh did a thoroughly professional job of seeing Brixham the rest of the way with a cautious 30 not out.
Cornwood captain Robin Dart, who missed the game, said: “I was a disappointing performance, didn't put enough value on our wickets early doors and paid the price.
“Craig Harris, with stand-in skipper Jason Hall and Dan Skeemer, did well to rescue the situation and give us something to defend. But we didn't get much early luck with the ball against a good Brixham top order and despite good spells from the Caunter brothers, we just couldn't get over the line.
“We showed great heart and character to get six points, and, as I said a few weeks back, every point will count this year in a very even division.
“I don't think it will be a season where two or three losses write your chances off! Long way to go and we'll reset ready for another tough game next.”
