Dartington & Totnes no one-man team insists skipper Baxendale after seventh win on the trot

DARTINGTON & Totnes are beginning to look unstoppable at the top of the C West table after beating neighbours Ashburton by 10 wickets to open up a 33-point lead over their second-placed victims.

That’s seven out of seven for D&T this season and just one dropped point so far on an otherwise perfect record.

The form of South African all-rounder Jacobus Snyman, who has a batting average of 55 and 12 wickets at 8.17 runs each, has been significant in D&T’s progress so far.

Harry Baxendale, the D&T captain, was quick to praise Snyman for his performances so far. But he stressed it has not been a one-man show.

“Five bowlers have taken 10 wickets each and Jono Colegate (14) already has more than Jacobus,” said Baxendale.

“We have a core of five or six players doing most of the batting and bowling at the moment, and Jacobus is one of them.

“Because we are going so well some players are not getting a chance to bowl that often.

“And out number 10 and 11 batsmen have not actually batted yet this season.

“It is working well because we are 11 friends who get together on Saturday afternoon to enjoy ourselves and have fun playing cricket.”

Baxendale knows Devon League history is littered with stories about sides who achieve promotion with a dream team then struggle in the next division up as players change.

Fears of the future won’t deter Baxendale from going flat out for promotion.

“About a month into the season we sat down as a group and discussed what we wanted and decided to go for it,” said Baxendale.

“If we stay a long way ahead then the sensible thing to do will be to mix things up in games to involve those who have not been used that much.”

Ashburton were bowled out for 83 by Colegate (5-19), Baxendale (2-21) and Alex Hartridge (2-18). Ashley Berry (23) and Chris Pascoe (28) had the only scores of note.

Snyman (35no) and the ever-youthful Chris Cook (28no) knocked off the runs without mishap.

Beaten captain Berry said: “Not a good toss to lose, but Darts bowled well. 

“Credit to our bowlers for taking it that deep. 

“Lessons were learned and we look forward to travelling to Plymouth next.”

STOKE Gabriel lived up to their reputation as the best batting side in the C Division West with a thumping 199-run win over bottom side Yelverton.

That’s seven defeats on the trot now for Yelveton, who have not won a game since winning promotion last term.

Another loss always looked likely after Stoke Gabriel racked-up 265 all out, and so it proved. Yelverton were all out for 66 in reply.

Defeat leaves Yelverton 39 points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table as the season edges towards the halfway stage.

Opener and captain Jack Tolley biffed 116 and Isaac Withington stroked 83 to take Stoke to 161 for one. Withington and Andy Kingdon (40) added another 76.

Yelverton’s frontline bowlers Richard Townsend (4-39) and Steve Colmer (3-30) had the most respectable figures.

Yelverton were all out for 66 in reply – and 33 of those were extras. No batsman made more than eight.

Jake Robinson (5-25) decimated the top order and Kyle Lardner (4-10) got most of the rest.

BRIDESTOWE defeated Plymouth by 24 runs in a rain-reduced 36 overs-a-side game at Millaton.

Bridestowe got off to a 98-run start through Gary Sizmur (76) and James Ewen (27).

Spinners Daniel Farnham (2-39), John Kerridge (2-33), and Fahad Ali (4-37) dragged the visitors back into the game with regular wickets.

Tim Shaw (30no) got important runs towards the end of the innings before he ran out of partners.

Bridestowe were bowled out for 175 in the last of their allotted 36 overs.

Plymouth were in early trouble at 34 for four with Chris Lavis (2-18) and Gary Sizmur (2-26) causing problems.

Sam Vile (49) gave the innings some much needed impetus along with skipper Phil Taylor (23).

At 144 for seven with three overs left it was anybody's game. 

Alex Jopling (3-26) and Matt Dennis (1-27) kept things tight as Plymouth finished on 151-9.

Victory would have taken Plymouth past Ashburton, who came unstuck against unbeaten leaders Dartington & Totnes. They remain third for another week.

CORNWOOD defeated lowly Shaldon Optimists by 75 runs to stay fourth in the C West standings.

A solid effort from the top four, principally Ciaran Gray (26), Mark Roca (20) and Craig Harris (60) got Cornwood up to 146 for five

Harris and Jamie Bailey (34) put on 62 for the seventh wicket as Cornwood advanced to 208 for eight.

Ruben Minnaar (3-32) shaded the bowling stats for Shaldon.

Minnaar opened up for Shaldon and made a run-a-ball 58 in a running total of 94 for three.

Once Minnaar fell to Harris (4-32) Shaldon went into a nosedive. Only Richie Fisher (24) survived long as they tumbled to 133 all out.

Sam Griffiths (3-9) picked off the tail enders.

KINGSBRIDGE held on under pressure to beat Babbacombe by eight runs at the Butts.

Top-three runs from Richie Carr (21), Bhanu de Silva (32) and Steve Inch (41) were largely responsible for getting Kingsbridge to 161 for nine. Thirty-three extras helped.

Andy McVeigh (3-16) was the leading wicket taker for Babbacombe. Pal Bates bowled nine overs for 12 runs and the wicket of de Silva.

Babbacombe’s front three of Rob Redding (44), Tim Goodwin (34) and McVeigh (37) led the reply to 131 for four. Despite 20 from Ben Passmore, Babbacombe slowed to 153 for eight.

Miserly spells from Neal Peach (6-2-7-0), Clive Clark (8-0-20-1), de Silva (9-2-24-0) and Olly Robinson (9-2-27-2) helped put Babbacombe behind the clock.