C Division West round-up – week nine: Parker (pictured) and Gadie point Pens in right direction | First win for Hatherleigh at South Devon's expense
HATHERLEIGH 2nd XI are off the mark but not the bottom of the C Division West thanks to a three-wicket win at South Devon.
Something had to give in the match-up between the bottom two sides in the table, neither of whom had won a game until then.
Hatherleigh (60pts) now have that elusive first league win, but are still a point behind South Devon (61) in the standings. To get out of the relegation zone, both need to get past Paignton 2nd XI (85).
South Devon owed a large slice of their 245 for six total to a stand of 139 between Aaron Hammett (64) and Ryan Maunder (63). Jalal Ahmad chipped-in 35.
Hatherleigh bowlers Tom Strawbridge (2-22) and Henry D’alberti-Nicholson (1-21) gave South Devon little to go after.
Hatherleigh won it with exactly four overs to spare. A stand of 124 for the third-wicket between Danny Forrester (73) and Adam Quick (71) put them in the driving seat.
Although Jack Allen (2-54) and Alan Berchams (3-59) induced a late wobble, Strawbridge (14no) and Luke Wescott (8no) saw it through.
FRONTRUNNERS Ipplepen cruised to a seven-wicket win over Paignton 2nd XI in a one-sided C West meeting at Moor Lane.
Without a patient 63 from Paignton’s Neil Hancock against one of his former clubs, Paignton would have struggled to reach three figures.
A stand of 57 for the third wicket between Hancock and Matt Lipton (23) was the only one of note in Paignton’s all-out score of 156.
Seven bowlers took wickets for the Pens. Henry Alsop (2-35), James Ingram (2-11) and Andrew Bligh (2-8) were the most effective.
Ipplepen openers Marcus Gadie (39) and Joe Parker (58) made the outcome a formality by wiping 114 off the target.
Wickets for the Woodcock brothers – two for George, one for Sam – barely slowed the chase. Jono Colgate was 19 not out at the other end from Warrick Green when four byes settled it.
Ipplepen go into the second half of the season 39 points clear of second-placed Kingsbridge at the summit.
CORNWOOD 2nd XI lost ground in the C West promotion race when they slipped to a five-run home defeat against Kingsbridge.
Defeat cost the Wood second place behind leaders Ipplepen and allowed third-placed Kingsbridge to swap places.
In a division with just one promotion place there is nothing to be gained by finishing second. And what is already a 49-point gap between the Pens and Cornwood is starting to look unbridgeable.
Opener James Westlake top scored for Kingsbridge with 69 in their tally of 242 for nine. He was fifth out on 175, which broke a stand of 81 with Ricky Carr (41),.
Bhanu De Silva, who batted at nine, belted six fours in a 22-ball knock of 32 not out, which proved crucial in the final totting-up.
Charlie Carwadine (3-56) was the Wood’s leading wicket taker. Ayaan Chatterjee, skipper Alex Robinson and Jacob Caunter all took two wickets.
The Cornwood chase looked in trouble at 127 for eight having slumped from 112 for three. Ewan Grewal (40) and Matt Puttock (21) were among the departed.
Cornwood hopes were revived by Jacob Caunter and Charlie Farmer (28), whose stand of 51 repaired some of the damage.
Last pair Caunter (55no) and Robinson (17) carried on chasing and got down to the penultimate over from Freddie Weir with a target of 17 to win. That came down five with a ball of the over to go. Robinson was run out at the non-striker’s end, which meant no last-over drama.
Wily old veteran Neal Peach claimed four Cornwood wickets for 21 runs. De Silva had two for 46.
Looking back on the game, Robinson said: “We created plenty of chances with the ball, but conceding 49 wides ultimately proved too much to overcome in such a close game.
"Losing by five runs always hurts, but there were lots of positives to take. If we can show a little more discipline with the ball, particularly by cutting down the extras, we’ll put ourselves in a great position to win games like this.”
ABBOTSKERSWELL’S winning streak continued with a 16-run victory at Brixham.
That’s five wins in the last five starts for Abbots on their way up the table.
Veteran opener Richard Harmer (56) and Jay Hussain (32) gave Abbots an 82-run start that was consolidated on by Brayden Notman (20) and Tom Heath.
A stand of 53 down the order from Alfie Harrison (22) and ex-2nd XI skipper Aron Owen (30) proved more than useful getting to 226 all out.
Former Devon paceman Mark Orchard (4-53) was Brixham’s leading wicket taker. Mo Shaihk (2-31) and Gangul Ravina (2-32) gave nothing away.
Brixham were never far from the asking rate thanks to knocks of 55 from Shaikh, 41 from Ravina and 29 not out down the order from Tim Robinson. What they struggled with was keeping wickets in hand before the last push.
Harrison Vickery (2-48). Hussain (3-40), Notman (2-43) and Max Yates (2-21) all took wickets to send Brixham from 170 for six to 210 all out.
