Paignton defeat Heathcoat to open-up nine-point lead at top of Premier table | 'Thankfully, strong batting from the lower order got the job done' – George Benton

Queen

By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

PAIGNTON have emerged as the early leaders in the Premier Division after a last-over win against defending champions Heathcoat.

Simon Sobczak top scored with 50, and in-form opener Toby Lochead made 33, in a Heathcoat total of 152 all out made around four stoppages for rain.

Three rain breaks meant Paignton’s to-win target came down from 153 to 141 then 119 in 20 overs, which they reached with one ball to spare and two wickets in hand.

Victory puts Paignton top of the shop after two games with a nine-point lead over second-placed Exmouth, whom they meet on the Maer Ground this Saturday.

It got tense near the end with Heathcoat’s Jack Menheneott taking three wickets and Jamie Drew a fourth as Paignton wobbled from 93 for four to 103 for eight in the space of two overs.

Cole Harford and tail-ender Joel Ashworth got Paignton over the line… just.

George Benton, the Paignton captain, said it was a ‘fantastic win’ in ‘tricky conditions’ on a pitch that ‘played really well’ despite the weather.

Benton added: “Heathcoat started well but we knew if we got a couple of early wickets we would get stuck in.

“Our bowlers bowled with a lot of control and frustrated their batsman to force poor shots. 

“Once again Harry Ward anchored the innings and Sehan and Connor Bryan looked to be coasting us to victory before we had a wobble.

“Thankfully, strong batting from the lower order got the job done.”

Pete Randerson, the Heathcoat captain, said there was a weather factor to the game but that was not the reason Heathcoat lost. 

“We could well have won the game but we lost to many key battles and therefore came out on the wrong side of the result,” said Randerson.

“We batted pretty well to get 157 and Simon Sobczak was very good. But at the back end of our innings we gave away wickets, which was a shame. 

“The weather made it very hard and we were bowling with a bar of soap. Jamie Drew and Jack Menheneott were the pick of our bowlers and a special mention to Jamie for a diving, one-handed catch at mid-wicket to dismiss Richard Ashworth. It was the sort of catch that deserved to be on the winning side.”

Heathcoat reached 108 for three thanks to Lochead and Sobczak then started to lose wickets when Paignton took the pace of the ball with spinners Connor Ashworth (2-25) and Sehan Weerasinghe (2-18) operating.

Sobczak was sixth out with the score on 133, followed an over at a time by Sean Gribben, Rob Pryke and Joe Hancock as the innings tailed off.

Paignton looked in a good place at 92 for three in reply, but slid to 97 for six then101 for seven as Drew (2-19) and Menheneott (3-26) got to work Weerasinghe (25) was one of the casualties.

Harford (14no), who went in at 93 for five, could not be budged and was there at the end with Joel Ashworth (7no).

Randerson said the challenge for his team now is to bounce back against Hatherleigh this Saturday,

“I will be looking hard to our lads to step-up and decide if we want to challenge for a Premier title or not,” said Randerson.