Holders Abbotskerswell crash out of Brockman Cup

Abbots bow out

HOLDERS Abbotskerwell crashed out of the Brockman Cup in the first round when they suffered a 95-run defeat at the hands of neighbours Ipplepen.

Pens totted up 158 for six in their 20 overs – Matt Quartley smashing the bowling round for a typically rumbustious 37.

Opener Dave Alsop chipped in with 36 and skipper Chris Partridge was unbeaten on 21 when the overs ran out.

Wickets were hard to come by, although Ed Smoult-Cooper picked up two for 24 in his four overs.

Abbots lost opener Paul  Mitchell and next man in Toby Lovell cheaply, which set the tone for the innings.

Aidan Lightowlers made 19 and Smoult-Cooper 12, but no one else reached double figures in an all-out total of 63.

Jasper Heaver had four wickets for seven runs in four overs and there were two wickets for Dan Cowdry.

Ipplepen 158-6 (M Quartley 37, D Alsop 36, C Partridge 21no; E Smoult-Cooper 2-24), Abbotskerswell 63 (A Lighthowlers 19; J Heaver 4-7, D Cowdry 2-5). Ipplepen bt Abbotskerswell by 95 runs.

SOUTH Devon defeated Harberton by four wickets in a low-scoring but nail-biting affair.

It seemed South Devon had done the hard bit by holding Harberton to 72 for eight in their 20 overs – no one making more than opener Bill Scott who was sixth out for 29. Tom Heath was next best with 19.

South Devon’s bowlers were almost unplayable at times. Opener bowler Jay Hargreaves only conceded two runs in his four overs – and one of those was a wide.

Aaron Hammett bowled well for two for 18 and there were four wickets late on for spinner James Allen.

It could have been an even lower score had South Devon not dropped seven catches.

It looked like a stroll in the early evening sun for South Devon, but Heath and James Shephard had other ideas.

When Shephard (2-11) bowled South Devon’s Ian Shepherd, the visitors were 11 for four, which no an improvement on eight for three when Heath (2-4) bowled Jonty Parsons first ball.

Youngster Morgan Hargreaves stuck around to see off the opening bowlers, but when he departed the score was 20 for five and the ball in Harberton’s court.

Enter Hargreaves senior to play the winning innings and earn the man of the match award by a distance.

Hargreaves clouted anything short, wide or both to make 30 not out from just 20 balls.

Jonty Tuppman put on 45 with Hargreaves, who had Joe Kitto for company when he hit Chris Tregelles for six to win the game.

Harberton 72-8 (B Scott 29, T Heath 19; J Allen 4-11, A Hammett 2-18), South Devon 75-6 (J Hargreaves 30no; T Heath 2-4, J Shephard 2-10). South Devon bt Harberton by 4 wkts.

BARTON enjoyed a comfortable 46-run win over Babbacombe in their first-round game.

Ian Jarman hit an unbeaten half-century in Barton’s total of 125 for five. Adam Last (23) and Adam Latham (24) both chipped in.

Shaun Molyneux had two for 16 from four overs – good figures indeed in 20 over cricket.

Babbacombe included club player-coach Andy Kingdon, who was out for a duck.

Chris Penner made 23 against his former club, but only Steve Cocker (11no) and Seb Loram (12) got far in Babbacombe’s 79 all out.

Kyle Lardner (4-11) domonated the bowling returns.

Barton 125-5 (I Jarman 50no, A Latham 24, A Last 23; S Molyneux 2-16), Babbacombe 79 (C Penner 23; K Lardner 4-11). Barton bt Babbacombe by 46 runs.

DARTINGTON & Totnes were handed a walkover into the second round by Chelston & Kingskerswell, who hav withdrawn from the competition.