Devon Women's League Super8s tournament update

CONRAD SUTCLIFFE REPORTING

PLYMOUTH put their first-round woes in Super8 A behind them with wins over Ipplepen and Cornwood to go joint top of the table.

The side that slipped to defeat against Cornwood and Plympton seven days earlier, only lost one wicket beating Ipplepen AND Cornwood in round two on their Mount Wise ground.

Piper Haffenden (4-17) and Claire Varcoe (2-8) put the skids under Ipplepen, who were bowled out for 49 in the 11thover.

Danielle Green was Plymouth’s only casualty on the chase, which was spearheaded by Jemima Johnson (25no).

The eight-wicket win over Cornwood was even more emphatic. 

Haffenden, Varcie and Molly Marsh took two wickets each as the Corns were bowled out for 64.

Sheridan Lewis (12no) and Laura Foley (14no), aided by 40 extras, got Plymouth over the line midway though the sixth over.

Those two wins put Plymouth level with inactive Plympton on eight points each at the top of the table.

Ipplepen defeated Cornwood by six wickets in the other game on festival day at Mount Wise.

Luci Atkins (32ret) and Sadie Goodliffe (18) were the main run scorers in a Cornwood total of 110 for two. Forty-six extras helped the score along.

Cornwood gave Ipplepen 52 extras in reply. Runs from the bat came from Lauren Edworthy (30ret) and Jemima Gascoyne (15no).

TOPSHAM charge on unbeaten at the top of Super8 B thanks to wins over Paignton and Exeter.

Paignton posted a respectable but gettable 94 for two in their 16 overs. Lynne Milton and Emily Roberts both made 30s and had to retire.

Bowlers Hannah Clarke (4-1-12-1) and Emma Corney (2-1-3-0) kept it tight with the ball.

Corney with a quickfire 30 off 12 balls – 28 in boundaries – and Amelia Sydenham (30) put Saints on course for a six-wicket win in nine overs.

Exeter proved a tougher nut to crack and Topsham had to work harder for a three-wicket win.

Imogen Oldfield (24) and Sophie Florides (24no) were joint top scorers for Exeter in a total of 111 for three. Georgia Read made 19 in an opening stand of 64 with Oldfield.

St James started hesitantly – they were 10 for one and 26 for two – but Corney (30ret) and Mel Vaggers (30ret) put them back on course. Clarke was not out on 11 when Topsham passed the post with eight balls to spare.

TAUNTON Deane have opened up a nine-point lead at the top of Group C following wins over Hatherleigh and second-placed Sandford.

Hatherleigh gave Deane a run for their money before subsiding to a 12-run defeat in a high-scoring game.

Abby Murray (30ret), Hannah Hughes (32ret) and Laura Currie (26) were the main run getters in a total of 140 for four. At one stage Deane went 95 runs without losing a wicket.

Hatherleigh’s innings went to a similar format as they went 71 runs without losing a wicket as opener Chloe Rose, Alicia Stebbing (31ret), and Eloise Maxa (22) chipped away at the target.

Rose, who had to retire, went back in at the end and was unbeaten on 31 in a toal of 128 for five.

In a high-scoring game Hughes and Mille Lusk both bowled economical spells for Deane that made a difference.

Ellie Bishop (31ret) was the only Sandford batter to reach double figures in their four-wicket defeat by Deane.

Miserely bowling, especially from Jessie Smyth Lees, Lauren Morrish and Madi Bond left Sandford few loose balls to hit as they crept to 61 for five.

Jemima Vereker gave Sandford some hope by bowling Deane opener Abby Murray first ball and when Bond fell to Bishop (2-36) the Somerset side were 21 for two.

By the time the next wicket fell the target was 12 to win and Hughes (25no) saw Deane to victory with more than seven overs to spare.

Consolation for Sandford was bouncing back straight away to beat Hatherleigh by 10 runs in the final match of the round.

Vereker and Bishop both retired on 31 and with the same again in extras a total of 121 for two was entered in the book. The Presswells – Holly and Hester – were Hatherleigh’s most frugal bowlers.

Opener Rose led the Hatherleigh response with 33 off 34 balls and there were chip-ins from Alicia Stebbing (18) and Maxa (18) got Hatherleigh close but not close enough. Chloe Dennis (4-0-14-0) was the pick of the Sandford bowlers.