Tarka North Devon dominate in Super 8s Plate final at Exeter

Tarka North Devon, Plymouth and Topsham St James play off for the Plate Trophy

Sunday 6th September saw the Plate Trophy Play Off take place at Exeter Cricket Club. Topsham St James, Tarka North Devon and Plymouth Cricket Club, all coming runners up in their regional groups, played to see who would take home the Plate Trophy. 

The fixtures lined up as follows

Topsham St James vs Tarka North Devon

Plymouth vs Tarka North Devon

Plymouth vs Topsham St James

 

Match 1: Topsham St James vs Tarka North Devon 

The weather was holding, despite the threatening clouds. Topsham St James won the toss and elected to field. The attack started well, with M Vaggers taking the wicket of captain Lauren Bowden, LBW, on the 3rd ball. The wicket brought in Ali Kelly, who was positive from the start, reaching the 30 retirement score in just 16 balls. She was followed by Ruby Davis, who was equally positive, scoring 30 runs off 17, including 5 boundary 4s. Whilst Ellie Holland batted on, wickets fell at the other end - Clare Pym of Topsham taking 2 quick wickets and being pick pf the bowlers, taking 3 wickets in all, as well as a run out. Tarka ended their innings on 162 for 6, Ali Kelly coming back in to score 39 in total, with one 6 and 7 fours. 

Topsham's openers started well, Sally Hammond scoring 12 before being bowled out. With Mel Vaggers on 27, the heavens finally opened and eventually it was decided to abandon the game with the result calculated by DLS. 

Result: Tarka North Devon win by 19 runs. 

Match 2: Tarka North Devon vs Plymouth

Finally the skies cleared and Plymouth and Tarka took to the field - Tarka winning the toss and electing to field. A great batting display by Claire Varcoe, retiring and then returning to score 46* off 26 balls, with 7 boundary 4s, took Plymouth to a final total of 71 off 15.4 overs. 

Despite a tight bowling performance from Plymouth (there were no extras bowled), Tarka proved too strong with the bat and with captain Rose Ball and Lauren Bowden both retiring, the game was almost won. Tarka needed just 7.4 overs and no loss of wicket to get to the total. 

Result: Tarka North Devon win by 7 wickets

With two good wins and on 9 points, it seemed almost impossible to catch Tarka and Plymouth and Topsham were looking to enter the third game to play off for second and third. 

Match 3: Topsham vs Plymouth

Plymouth won the toss and elected to field. Topsham continued their strong batting and with retirements from opening batters Caitlin Pilcher and Sally Hammond and Mel Vaggers (25*) and Maddy Ross (23*) they completed their 16 overs without loss of wicket, finishing on a total of 127. 

Plymouth took to the crease and found it difficult to get going against the bowling of Maddy Ross and Mel Vaggers, only scoring 2 runs off the first 3 overs.  With Clare Pym taking two quick wickets in the in the 5th over, Plymouth started to recover, but could never reach the required run rate and completed their 16 overs 44 runs short of Topsham.

Result: Topsham win by 44 runs

For full scores on Play Cricket, please click here

Well done to all the teams for reaching the plate final and played  great cricket during the day. Plymouth took third position, with Topsham being runners up and Tarka taking the Plate Trophy home - Congratulations Tarka North Devon. 

Hannah Clark, Executive Comittee member of the Devon Women's League announced the reuslts as the players came to collect their medals and Tarka North Devon picked up the plate.

The Super 8s, organised by the Devon Women's League,  has been a great success this year and is certainly a format that could be replicated next season alongside the longer 35 over format. Despite the current climate, it has been great to see so many women's teams playing competitively this year and worries about the growth of the women's game being halted by the Corona Virus have not been realised. 

The future of women's cricket in Devon looks very positive.