B Division previews - Bideford skip warns against complacency

Missing - Steve Pritchard who is absent from Seaton

BIDEFORD skipper Paul Heard doesn’t want his side getting complacent ahead of the top-versus-bottom tussle with Ottery at Westward Ho! on Saturday.

Beating Seaton by 63-runs last time out put Bideford five points clear of Ipplepen at the top of the table.

Ottery, who lost  to Ipplepen, are 39 points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table without a win in the league yet.

Said Heard: “They have a lot to fight for so may be unpredictable, but if we play our own game I'm confident of a positive result.

“We will look to carry our momentum from our last couple of matches into another home game.”

FILLEIGH face a toughie at Ipplepen this Saturday as they strive to get back up the table.

Last Saturday’s 40-run defeat by Abbotskerswell dropped Filleigh back into the bottom two.

Abbots scraped up 241 all out having been 122 for seven - John Hickman (3-38) and

Filleigh are three short at Ipplepen – Rob Collier, Campbell and Bowden.

Bowden is on duty at then Mid-Devon Show where he has a potentially prize-winning bull entered.

In come James Marsh, Macaully Harrison-Hooton, and Olly Squire.

Prideaux is asking for improvements in all areas.

“Looking to cut out the wides and bowl tighter lines to make it easier to set a field,” said Prideaux.

“People - myself included – need to take more responsibility when batting.”

Ipplepen make two changes to the side that won at Ottery last time out.

Dave Harris and Adam Peters replace Jack Wylie and Sam DeFriend.

DeFriend has played his last game for Ipplepen for a while as his job as a doctor has taken him to Manchester to work.

“He will be a big miss in our top order and we wish him the best of luck,” said Pens skipper Sam Wakeham.

Ipplepen defeated Filleigh by 53 runs first time round, not an easy a win as it appears.

“We had a good game against Filleigh at their place and if it wasn’t for a good bowling performance that day the result could have been different,” said Wakeham.

“Hopefully, the rain stays away as the last thing you need in a close division is a rain-off when others play.”

SEATON have to stop mucking around and get stuck in again for the visit of Thoverton.

Back-to-back defeats by Abbotskerswell and Bideford injected a note of realism into the dressing room after a winning run.

“Having won four in a row I feel we got a bit complacent and as a result have lost the last two,” said skipper Ben Morgan.

“We are looking for a win to climb away from the bottom two, but know it won't be easy as Thorverton beat Tavistock last weekend!

Bowling all-rounder Tim Mitchell comes in for batter Steve Pritchard.

Thorverton may be on the up after a win over high-flying Tavistock, but for acting captain George Greed it’s feet-on-the-ground time.

“Very much focused on getting the basics right again this weekend, building partnerships with the ball and bat and not getting ahead of ourselves,” said Greed.

Nick Barton and Jake Crouch are away, Jacob Broom is back in after his holiday.

ABBOTSKERSWELL have a point to prove against Shobrooke in the rematch at Two Mile Oak.

Shobrooke won the first encounter between the teams by 37 runs after dismissing Abbots for 105.

“Shobrooke beat us last time out in a game where we didn't turn up at all,” said Abbots’ skipper Charlie Hill.

“The boys are up for another good game so let's hope the weather stays away.”

Having piled up 349 for seven against Seaton two weeks ago, Abbots laboured to 241 against Filleigh – and were glad of Connor Adams 57 at number nine for getting that far.

“We need our top order to start scoring again but our bowling has been consistent so hoping to control the game with the ball,” said Hill.

One change is veteran batter Paul Mitchell comes in for Kyle Rich.

Elsewhere in the B Division, Tavistock face Barton at the Ring.