Cricket champions make stuttering start

It may be only a fortnight into the season, and the first weekend was marred by the weather, but 2022 Tolchards Devon League champions Bradninch & Kentisbeare find themselves bottom of the table after two surprise defeats, writes Dave Thomas.

After being pipped by two runs in a frantic finish by Bovey Tracey on Day One, Bradninch were skittled out for 62 by Cornwood last Saturday on their way to a nine-wicket loss.

The whole match was over in less than 33 overs and, even if that wasn’t the only quickfire contest in bowler-friendly conditions, Gary Chappell’s side urgently need a result at home to Exmouth this weekend.

There’s a long way to go, of course, but few expected Sidmouth and Bovey to be topping the table early on.

Bryce Parsons had a day to remember as Sidmouth beat Tiverton Heathcoat by 51 runs at Fortfield.

Parsons hit 151 off 102 balls, including 15 fours and seven sixes, in Sidmouth’s 306-8 (Ben Way 41no), and then he took three catches, including last man out Tom Hatton (49), as Heathcoat were dismissed for a battling 255 with eight balls to spare.

Ed Butler top-scored with 80 for Heathcoat, with Charlie Miles taking 5-55.

Sandford have also started slowly, and they had no answer to Bovey seamers Seb Ansley and the hosts’ new Aussie paceman Alex Bevilaqua.

Ansley took 5-22 and Bevilaqua 4-24 – the 6ft 9in tall Western Australian also broke through with an early run-out – with stand-in captain Ashley Causey taking one brilliant low off-balance catch in the slips.

Bovey had victory by seven wickets wrapped up in the eleventh over, plenty of time for several of their players to nip to Chudleigh to see their 2nd XI complete a four-wicket win after bowling the hosts out for 63 in B Division.

Elsewhere in the Premier – winning the toss helps hugely at the moment – Exmouth managed to bowl 33 Extras at North Devon and still dismiss them for 76, with three wickets each for George Greenway and Alvin Pollard.

Jason Niemand (32no) and James Horler (36n) knocked them off without loss.

Budleigh Salterton should pull in a few extra spectators at their new ground, The Holt, as they take on Thorverton in an early-season meeting of the A Division top-two.

Budleigh posted 207-7 at Torquay (Alex Cole 55, Max Mejner 41) and then bowled the home side out for 120.

Will Oxland claimed the key early wicket of South African opener Ruan Terblanche and Joel Murphy took 4-28.

Thorverton’s Ben Saviero had figures of 4-9 from 8.1 overs in Tavistock’s 135ao, and Jack Geraghty’s 60no made sure of a five-wicket win there.

And watch out for Bridestowe in B Division.

Newly-promoted, they have two wins from two after routing Ipplepen away.

The Moorlanders scored 137-8 (Tom Fogerty 34no, Jack Hatton 29) before Ryan Dennis, who had taken 4-1 against Plymstock seven days before, claimed another 3-14 off five overs as Ipplepen were sent packing for 49.

This Saturday’s league fixtures include: Premier – Tiverton Heathcoat v North Devon, Bradninch & Kentisbeare v Exmouth, Sandford v Sidmouth, Plympton v Bovey Tracey, Paignton v Cornwood; A – Tavistock v Clyst St George, Budleigh Salterton v Thorverton, Kilmington v Hatherleigh, Torquay v Abbotskerswell, Plymouth v Exeter; B – Bideford v Plymstock, Bovey II v Cullompton, Barton v Chudleigh, Seaton v Ipplepen, Bridestowe v Sandford II; C East – North Devon II v Ottery St Mary, Exmouth II v Alphington & Countess Wear, Uplyme & Lyme Regis v Shobrooke Park, Sidmouth II v Heathcoat II, Braunton v Teignmouth & Shaldon; D East – Barnstaple v Feniton, Topsham St James v Upottery, Thorverton II v Heathcoat III, Exeter II v Budleigh Salterton II, Clyst Hydon v Whimple.