Form side Torquay make it five out of five against Bradninch

Torquay

FORM side Torquay made it five on the bounce when they won by 72 runs at Bradninch.

Torquay totted up 259 for nine in their 50 overs – opener Mitch Pugh making 95.

Bradninch, on a three-game winning streak, were ahead of asking rate a 110 for two, but couldn’t stay there.

Wickets tumbled – Pugh took four – as Bradninch folded to 187 all out.

“It was a big toss to win as the wicket played really well first innings and the ball turned sharply in the second,” said winning skipper Justin Yau.

“Mitch Pugh has hit a nice patch of form with bat and ball and our bowlers are continuing to bowl exceptionally well.

“It's been a great effort to go five from five and we look forward to the test Bovey will bring.”

Torquay were 16 for two when Yau went out to join surviving opener Pugh. Their stand of 82- Yau made 38 – got the Rec Grounders motoring.

Tom Drake came and went for four – one of two scalps for Matt Parker – which brought Joe Thompson to the crease.

Bradninch know all about Thompson after he beat them almost on his own in last season’s Devon T20 final at Sidmouth.

This time Thompson was more restrained, making 51 off 73 balls and sharing a stand of 94 with Pugh.

Matt Foster (2-46) broke the pairing when he had Pugh caught behind. Pugh faced 100 balls and hit 16 fours.

Opener Chappell took the lead when Bradninch batted: making 79 off 83 balls with 10 fours and four sixes.

Along the way there were stands of 55 with Charlie Walker (19) and 44 with Foster (18) before the skipper was seventh out at 179.

The writing was on the wall then for Bradninch, who had lost wickets to Dan Wightman (3-27) and paceman Cody Gertze (3-51).

With Pugh taking four wickets, Bradninch lost their last five men for 19 runs.

Defeat hasn’t cost Bradninch third place in the table, but does leave them 29 points behind leaders Bovey Tracey.

Gary Chappell, the Bradninch skipper, said his side could have done better but couldn’t have too many complaints either.

“Torquay played the better cricket and deserved the win,” said Chappell.

“Pugh was the difference as his 95 was an excellent innings and he took wickets at key times with the ball.

“It looked like they would get 280-plus so I was happy with our fightback in the last 15 overs.”

On the run chase, Chappell said: “We gave it a good crack and at 110 for two off 14 we were in pole position.

“The wicket deteriorated and was hard against spin, we kept losing wickets just as we got on top.

“There were too many 10-20s and that's been the story the last few weeks, even though we've won games. Guys need to start turning these into 50-plus.

“Ultimately, we were a batter and slow bowler short.

Tim Piper (left) and Ross Acton get a close-up view of Justin Yau's sweep shot