Tolchards DCL C Division West round-up: Maiden ton for Pascoe put Ashes on course for victory | 'I was fortunate enough to be down the other end to watch it up close and I'm sure it will be the first of many' – Ashley Berry

Paignton

OPENER Jake Pascoe hit a century as Ashburton eased to an eight-wicket win over Hatherleigh 2nd XI, who are teetering on the brink of relegation from the C Division West.

Hathereleigh all out total of 248 in the last of their 45 overs looked respectable in the tea-time scorebook, but that feeling did not last long.

Ashburton’s teenage opener Pascoe stroked 109 to set-up the chase, which was finished off with more than seven overs to go.

With six rounds to go Hatherleigh have only won once and are on average points of 6.68 per game. They could conceivably catch second-bottom South Devon (9.13), but getting out of the bottom two by overtaking Teignmouth & Shaldon (10.22) looks unlikely.

Hatherleigh’s frontline batting was in a mess at 44 for five after an early duffing-up from Steve Edmonds (4-11). A stand of 109 between Sam Clarke (84) and Morgan Reynolds (64) got Hatherleigh going and 33 from Tom Carroll boosted the final total. 

Ashburton’s Jack Warren (4-46) prospered with the ball at the end of the innings. Lloyd White – one over, 23 runs – fared less well!

Pascoe and White (20) gave Ashes a 51-run start and another 123 went on the board with Ashley Berry (50no) at the other end from the young tyro.

After Pascoe was dismissed for 109 off 92 balls, Dan Coles (45no) partnered Berry in an unbroken stand of 76 to win it.

With six games to go it remains wide open at the top of the table where Stoke Gabriel (15.57pts), Cornwood 2nd XI (15.11), Ashburton (14.63), Bridestowe (14.5) and Paignton 2nd XI (14.0) are all chasing one promotion place.

Skipper Berry was quick to share the praise around after the game and was positively glowing about Pascoe’s innings. 

"We let them get a few too many after our start from Steve, but a special mention to Jack Warren stepping up and bowling superbly to get four wickets,”said Berry.

“Then the batsmen learned their lessons from previous weeks to comfortably knock-off a decent total, led by Jake's maiden ton for the club.

“I was fortunate enough to be down the other end to watch it up close and I'm sure it will be the first of many. 

“This week I have five players returning for selection so I have some good problems to solve.".

A FIVE-wicket haul for skipper James Allen was not enough to give South Devon victory in the Rec Ground date with Paignton.

Although Allen bagged five wickets for 28 runs, his first five-wicket haul of the season, Paignton eventually posted 176 all out.James Allen on the way to a five-wicket haul against Paignton 2nd XI

Opener Luke Medlock, making his first appearance of the season in the 2nd XI, belted four sixes and nine fours in his 86-ball knock of 88. He was fourth out on 118.

Four Paignton batsmen got into the teens. None made more than Brenton Pedley (18).

Dave Knowles and Dillip Salinda backed-up Allen in the South Devon bowling unit with two wickets each.

South Devon’s top order crumbled to 23 for four in reply and things only started to improve while Paul Hooper (38) and Matt Beasant (12) batted. Once Hooper went only Alex Bridgeman (22) hung around long before the innings ended on 122.

The wickets were shared around with three for spinner Rory Medlock (3-19) and two apiece for Steve George and Sam Woodcock.

South Devon have six games to get out of the C Division bottom two. Allen said half the game against Paignton was a step in the right direction.

“Paignton sent over a strong side and we bowled them out – the first team we have done that to all season,” said Allen.

“What we need to have is a little more composure with the bat and I will be the first to put my hand up and say that starts with me.”

PETE Evans and Tom Hughes both scored half-centuries for Plymouth 2nd XI in their five-wicket win at Brixham in the C Division West.

Opener Richard Ward made 66 and skipper Tom Hopper 40 in Brixham’s 160 all out. Hughes had four wickets for five runs and there were two wickets each for Dave Burke, John Kerridge and Fahad Ali.

Evans (62) and man of the match Hughes (68no) won it for Plymouth with more than nine overs to spare. Abdul Muzammil (3-26) topped the bowling stats for Brixham.

STOKE Gabriel are the new leaders in the C Division West after beating Teignmouth & Shaldon by 17 runs to move past Cornwood 2nd XI by a fraction of a point at the top of the shop.

Only two individual innings really mattered for Stoke in a total of 257 for five: Andy Kingdon’s 123 not at first wicket down and 67 from Ben Robinson. They put on 168 for the firth wicket after coming together at a nervy 30 for four.

Teignmouth & Shaldon gave away 45 extras, including 36 wides. Seb Linnett (0-34) and Seamus McKenna (0-18) were hard to score against. Lewis Jeffrey (4-56) had early wickets before Kingdon got going.

Teignmouth & Shaldon openers McKenna (67) and Todd Ballman (91) accelerated after a slow start and were hitting 11-12 an over at times.  A 10-ball over from Mike Meech added 24 to the T&S total.

TON-UP: Andy KingdonJake Robinson (4-39) broke the opening stand at 166 when he removed McKenna and he took three of the next four wickets to fall as T&S dipped to 188 for five.

Getting Ballman out remained a priority and Kingdon (2-19) obliged when the target was down to 35 to win.

With four wickets in hand T&S could have gone on to win, but two run-outs cost them and they were all dismissed for 240 with four balls to go. The final total included 55 extras – 45 of them wides.

Jack Tolley, the Stoke captain, said: “It was an unbelievable game!”

Tolley added: “Ben Robinson and Andy Kngdon batted really well. The intensity of their running set the tone then we accelerated well in the last 10 overs.

“Seamus and Todd batted well but the run rate averaged around six for the whole innings and once the wickets started to fall the runs became harder to find.”

As for the extras given away, Tolley said: “We had a full variety in there… including five runs off a helmet left on the field.”

Stoke’s lead (15.57) at the top over Cornwood (15.11) is just 0.46 of a point.

THE game between Bridestowe and Cornwood was called off due to Covid alerts.