Pens back on top in B Division after narrow win over Shobrooke Park

Left to right are brothers Steve, Mark and Simon Prideaux, who all played for Filleigh against Barton

IPPLPEN are back on top of the Tolchards Devon League B Division following a slender six-run win over Shobrooke Park in one of only three games to start.

Opener Jack Lewis top scored for Ipplepen with 76 off 104 balls in their tally of 208 for seven.

Lewis was last man out at 165 having shared a sizeable stand of 55 with Sam deFriend (31) for the second wicket,

Pens’ captain Sam Wakeham (14) and veteran big hitter Marcus Green (33no) flogged the bowling round at the end.

Ben Trenaman – nine overs for 33 runs – was economical. Chris Simpson had two for 40 and part-time bowler Jon James (3-48) went one better.

For Shobrooke it was a case of nearly but not quite. They were 202 for seven when the overs expired.

Jon James (25) and Chris Ford (18) produced a 50-run start then Richard Pyle (45) and Craig James (61) hoisted 93 to reach 156 for four.

Green – a Premier winner with Torquay 20 years ago – slowed the initial charge with three for 33 and the pressure was kept on by Joe Abbott (2-29), Steve Bowden and Will Gornall.

Paul Thomas – two for 61 – has had cheaper afternoons.

Andrew Codling’s 22 off 26 balls wasn’t enough to see Shobrooke to victory.

Losing skipper Simpson said there were plenty of pluses despite the outcome.

“It was a great game and we nearly got there,” said Simpson.

“Craig James and Ben Trenaman bowled really well but were very unlucky.

“Chris Ford and Jon James looked solid putting on 50 and Pyle and Craig James batted really well.

“I was happy to see everyone chipping in. It was a shame we didn't get a win but lots of positives going into the derby on Saturday.”

Shobrooke remain third in the table behind new leaders Ipplepen, who moved ahead of rained-off Bideford on Saturday.

THORVERTON edged towards safety in the B Division thanks to a two-wicket win over fellow strugglers Ottery St Mary.

Ottery, who have yet to win a game this season, were all out for 159 in their last over.

Opener Dan Flower had 27 in a progressive total of 44 for five that hinted at an early tea.

Joe Henkus (43) and Harry Conway (28) put on 67 and bits and pieces from Jack Malden (19) and Henry Mutter (18no) completed the scoring.

Pick of the bowlers for Thorverton was off-spinner Alex Hills with five for 26.

Seppe Barletta was frugal in two spells for combined figures of two for 21 from nine.

Opener George Greed took the Ottery bowling for 76 not – 13 fours in there – and was the anchorman Thorverton needed.

There were plenty of partnerships in the 20s and 30s, none better than the one worth 47 between Greed and Jake Crouch (25) for the fifth wicket.

Mutter (2-5) caused some panic at the end, but as long as Greed stayed the outcome was inevitable.

“We lost three wickets in four balls near the end, which made it look closer than it was,” said Thors’ skipper Andy Pitt.

“It was a game we knew we had to win and had we lost there would have been something to worry about.

“Now we can start putting pressure on the teams above us.”

Thorverton remain in the bottom three, but are only four points from safety now

Next up for Thorverton is the eagerly awaited derby clash with Shobrooke Park, who stumbled to a second defeat in the last three games when they were beaten by promotion chasers Ipplepen.

Former Thorverton captain Graham White has left the club and rejoined Exeter, for whom he played until 2013 following spells with Clyst St George and Alphington.

BARTON had Filleigh under the cosh but were denied the chance to finish them off by bad weather.

Filleigh reached 14 without loss before it all went horribly wrong!

Six wickets fell for eight runs added as Barton seamers Lee Elmore and Jon Martin wheeled away.

Martin took four for 16 and was on a hat-trick after seeing off opener Rob Collier and Harley Ashdown.

Elmore, a Barton old boy on a visit home from Australia for the first time in 13 years, had the other two wickets to fall.

Steve Prideaux, a Filleigh old boy home for the weekend from his job in Bristol, decided enough was enough and shut up shop for 36 off 52 balls.

Mark Prideaux, Steve’s brother, made 18 not out at the other end in a stand of 62 that took Filleigh to 84 for six when rain stopped play.