CONRAD SUTCLIFFE AT THE RECREATION GROUND

MATT Needham was rightly named man-of-the-match for his influential contribution towards Barton 2nd XI’s Brockman Cup final win over Teignmouth & Shaldon 2nd XI.

Teignmouth & Shaldon were held to 112 for nine in the twenty20 final at Torquay Recreation Ground, which was no mean feat by Barton as there was an invitingly short leg-side boundary at the Rugby Stand End.

Sreejith Sankaranaryanan and Tom Cox kept the runs down in the first 10 overs, Riley Calland picked-up a couple of wickets and when Needham came into the attack T&S were 91 for four with six overs to go.

Needham bowled Mark Jameson with his first delivery, repeated the exercise on Kai Wilkins in the same over and finished with three for seven from three overs, one of them that T2O rarity: a maiden. Ross Jameson (20) and Adam Dowsing (27) were T&S’s principal run getters.

Needham batted first wicket down for Barton, which meant he was in eight balls into the reply. By the time Needham was dismissed for 39, Barton were well on their way. 

Harry Shelton (25), Tom Drake (19no) and Calland (25no) tied-up the loose ends.

Erik Gregersen, the Abbotskerswell cricketer, went straight for Needham in his brief speech as man-of-the-match adjudicator. 

Tom Porter, the triumphant captain, said: “It was a fantastic night for the club to win the Brockman cup in our centenary year. 

“It was great to see both youth and experience coming together to get the win over the line. 

“Matt Needham led from front with both bat and ball rightly winning the player of the match. 

“All our bowlers restricted them from getting away from us. 

“We got off to a fast start with the bat but they slowed us down in the middle with some tight bowling 

“Having someone of Tom Drake’s experience, with Riley to come in and see the game home, was just what we needed.”

[O] Players, officials and spectators observed a miniute's silence before the game in memory of former Brockman Cup president Dave Traylor, who died recently aged 83. Traylor played for Chelston, Torquay and Devon CCC during a career that stretched from the late 1950s to the early 1980s.