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Round-up from the Devon Cricket League
Tiverton Heathcoat may have lost two of their first five games, but no one should write off the 2021 Devon Cricket League champions this season.
Heathcoat’s reshuffled side against Plympton at the weekend had an average age of only 22. But all-rounder Jamie Drew emerged as the star of a 74-run win which lifted them up to third in the Premier Division table, behind early leaders Cornwood and Bovey Tracey.
Batting at No.6, Drew’s 58 off 64 balls lifted Heathcoat to 205 all out, and his spin (4-33 off 10ovs) then helped to reduce Plympton to 52-6 and eventually 131ao.
And take a bow, all the Tiverton bowlers – they didn’t concede a single wide! Heathcoat’s next two games are away to lowly Paignton and home to Bovey.
Cornwood marched on with an impressive six-wicket win, chasing Sidmouth’s 210ao at Fortfield –overseas stars Bryce Parsons (Sidmouth) and Jay Bista (Cornwood) were both out for 44.
Champions Bradninch & Kentisbeare’s 255-8 (Mitchell Pugh 90, Tim Piper 72) was not enough to stave off a six-wicket defeat by Sandford, once Dikshansu Negi (93) and Lawrence Walker (59no) got going.
And North Devon’s worrying start to the season goes on. Their 45-run defeat to in-form Bovey Tracey at Instow was their fifth on the trot – they let Bovey (23- 3) off the hook on their way to 234-7 and were then bowled out for 189. And the 2nd XI are also bottom of C Division East after a five-wicket loss at Shobrooke Park.
But, as the sun beat down again, the match-of-the-day was the 600-run thriller between A Division leaders Kilmington and Budleigh Salterton.
Budleigh must have thought they were in with a great chance after Elliott Rice’s 125 had led them to 305-9 off their 50 overs.
But Kilmington believe no target is out of reach on their ground, and a first-wicket stand of 104 between Tom Gooding (58) and Brett Garner (41) set them for a nail-biting chase that finally carried them home by three wickets with four balls to spare. Josh Cann scored 44 and Joel Seward (77no) saw them over the line.
Kilmington lead Exeter by ten points after five matches, with Plymouth third and Hatherleigh, after a two-wicket win over Thorverton, fourth.
Newly-promoted surprise packets Bridestowe still top the B Division after they bowled relegated Barton out for 125 in only 24 overs (Achilles Browne 3-16). Jack Hatton scored 78no in the hosts’ 247-8.
Cullompton are only a point behind, with Bovey 2nds and Chudleigh third and fourth, even though Bovey lost by 32 runs at home to Bideford, for whom Ewan Williams scored 64 and took 4-38.
And top of C Division East are the team that was ‘moved’ across from the West in the winter, Teignmouth & Shaldon. They beat Heathcoat 2nds by 139 runs, while Braunton are up to second place after a three-wicket win, with loads of time to spare, over Sidmouth 2nds.
