North Devon cope with Ivybridge threat to maintain 100 per-cent record at top of A Division | 'It was great to see young lads Navindu Vanderbona (pictured) and Freddie Tucker come in and contribute at different stages' – Jack Moore

NORTH Devon were given a run for their money by Ivybridge before emerging with a 28-run win to keep top spot in the Tolchards DCL A Division.

The Instow outfit charge on at the top of the table where they are five points ahead of Torquay & Kingskerswell, who have a hefty 30-point lead over third-placed Budleigh Salterton.

North Devon’s top-five batters were largely responsible for taking  274 runs, for eight wickets lost, off the Ivybridge attack.

Openers Jay Rothery (41)  and Navinda Vanderbona (31) were out at 63 and 106 respectively as the runs started flowing.

Jack Moore, batting first wicket down, made a top score of 85 at run-a-ball pace while pushing the score along to 216 for four. Jack Whittaker (21) chipped in.

Definate Mawadzi (26) and Jack Popham (25) added more runs in a late dash.

Skipper Adam Huxtable (3-44) and Mickey Copeland (3-64) were Ivybridge’s leading wicket takers. Farzad Zafil, Lewis Clarke and Tom Worth all operated at less than five runs an over.

Ivybridge opener Dinesh Raheja, not for the first time in his peripatetic journey around the Devon League, played the anchorman role in the business of scoring runs.

Raheja made 78 off 116 balls during 159 minutes in the middle as the Bridge reached 187 for four with ten overs to go. Copeland (27) and Harry Solomon (46) chipped in.

Moore (4-49) removing Raheja changed the game. Popham (3-36) took two more as 187 for four became 191 for seven. Safi was 21 not out when time was up with the score on 246 for eight.

Skipper More described it as ‘another good, workmanlike win’ with just one qualification.

“We batted well, however I felt we left 30-40 runs out there,” said Moore.

“Having said that it was great to see young lads Navindu Vanderbona and Freddie Tucker come in and contribute at different stages. Everyone else played their roles. 

“We stuck at our task with the ball and felt in control for the majority of the game.”

Ivybridge have now gone three games without a win in the A Division

The Bridge have only taken 14 points from the last 60 on offer since defeating Bovey Tracey four games ago. That downturn has accounted for their decline from third to fifth in the table.

Captain Huxtable said he had little or nothing to complain about as far as his side’s efforts were concerned.

Said Huxtable: “Despite the result! I was really happy with our performance 

“We bowled and fielded well. Happy with the way we went about the chase. Had a few things gone our way, I’m sure we could have pushed it very close.”