Youngsters grasp chance as Braunton prepare for promotion push

Steve Moore – Braunton

By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

BRAUNTON may have opted out of the end-of-season play-offs, but don’t read too much into that.

A visit to Paignton for a third-placed play-off was a trip too far on a day when the 2nd XI had a home play-off of their own and could not spare that many cover players.

The first team had a respectable season in North Division One with what was one of the youngest sides the club has put on the field.

Jon Baglow, a former Braunton captain and Devon seam bowler, said: “We had two under-15s in the side and two more who aren’t 20 yet.

“The next eldest in the side was 26, which made myself (46) and Steve Moore (56) feel pretty old.

James Lake (18) showed up well in the bowling stats for Braunton and young batters Sam Bithell (19) and 15 year olds Jack Whittaker and Andy Norman demonstrated promise. Bithell and Whittaker both averaged in the high 30s.

Moore, officially the senior player at Braunton, has high hopes next season could be the last for a while at C Division level.

“Potentially we have a good, young side so next season we will looking to be challenging at the top of the table,” said Moore.