Bradninch skipper Piper has no room for omens + Williams out for Plympton

BRADNINCH captain Tim Piper is confident last season’s double defeat by Barton isn’t an omen for Saturday’s trip to Cricketfield Road.

Barton chased 180 to win at Kensham Park last season and completed the double at home by knocking off 222.

Piper isn’t complacent, but points to more recent history as the reason for his confidence.

“Barton can always be a hard game away from home as they play on their own pitch very well,” said Piper.

“With one eye on T20 finals day at Sidmouth on Sunday we'll have to make sure we remain focused.

|”We lost to Barton twice last year in the league, but we were already on 80 off eight overs when rain stopped play at home earlier in the season.

“I didn't see much too worry about with the ball. We're confident.”

Barton, who lost to Lewdown last time out, make a raft of changes, not all unforced.

Spinner Stuart Bowker is out for a couple of week after suffering a broken bone in a leg playing football.

Batter Alex Hunt has a broken hand that rules him out.

Adrian Lipton, Kyle Lardner and Tom Porter are rotated into the 2nd XI for game time.

Barton have room to make changes as batters Andy Hele, Shaun Needham and keeper Steve Lewis return, as do seamer Andy McVeigh and all-rounder Mark Gilmour after a two-match lay-off.

“They are key players and I am looking forward to welcoming them back,” said Barton captain Adam Parker.

“It will be a tough game on Saturday and we will need to all be on top form to be able to get a positive result.”

PAIGNTON’S new captain Richard Ashworth will be aiming to make it two wins out of two when Sandford visit Queens Park.

While Bradninch look like they will take some stopping at the top of the table, Paignton, Lewdown, Budleigh and Sandford are all in contention for the second promotion place.

Having walloped bottom side Ipplepen last time out, Paignton are eager to have a crack at Sandford.

“It is another important game for us against what looks like a strong Sandford side,” said Ashworth, who took over from Chris Kelmere last week.

“We'll take confidence from a good batting and bowling performance against Ipplepen and hopefully turn that into a win on Saturday.”

Seamer Stephen George is injured and Harry Ward drops to the second team.

Connor Bryan and Oli Higgs back, which strengthens the batting.

Victory over Chudleigh last time out kept Sandford in mid-table.

“Richard Foan and Matt Theedom are back for the Paignton game, which will be very tough as they are a quality side,” said Glass.

HATHERLEIGH captain Mark Lake said the pressure is on to get a result against bottom side Ipplepen.

Hatherleigh are 18 points adrift in the bottom two after losing to fellow strugglers Plympton by 20 runs last time out.

If Hatherleigh lose to Ipplepen and Plympton beat Budleigh Salterton, the gap is going to be 30 points or more.

“It's simple really, nothing other than a win will do,” said Lake.

It's a game we can't afford to lose.

“I feel we need four wins to stand a chance of staying up.”

Batter Gareth Tidball is away but Danny Forrester plays after pulling out of the Plympton game.

BUDLEIGH need a win over Plympton to avoid falling any further behind after the defeat by Bradninch last time out.

Sandford scraped home by five runs in close game that went down to the penultimate over. Budleigh needed 21 from the last over bowled by Cameron Suidgeest, which was too tall an order.

Plympton are without former Devon keeper-batter Jeremy Williams, but welcome back all-rounder David Wrench, a former Devon League young player of the year.

CHUDLEIGH will be aiming to avoid a second straight defeat when they host second-placed Lewdown.

One of the reasons Lewdown have done so well, but not the only one, is the impressive form of South African batsman Johannes Wessels.

In nine trips to the crease this season for Lewdown, Wessels has scored five hundreds and two 50s in a total of 829 runs – average 118.43.

No batsman in any division of the Devon League is within 200 runs of his aggregate.

Ed Foreman, the Chudleigh captain, said he will encourage his team not to focus too much on one player.

Obviously Wessels is in great form and we have not seen him play yet, which makes it difficult for us,” said Foreman.

“I do not wish to focus on him however, his wicket weighs the same as everyone else's.

“Lewdown have some quality cricketers who need to be respected. You don't sit second in this division on the back of only one player.

“We will need to take our chances or we will suffer.

“We will be focusing very much on our own strengths and hope to perform well enough to get the result we want.”

Foreman, Will Heather and Dan Britcliffe come back into the side, but seamer ben Holmes is absent.