Seaton beat Ipplepen to go top in the B Division - reports and reaction from all four games

Billy Reed, who slammed 189 for Kilmington against Brixham

IT’S getting congested at the top of the B Division where three teams are stuck on 92 points behind new leaders Seaton.

Plymstock had been hoping to split the logjam by winning at Thorverton, but their two-wicket defeat in a nail-biter only made the congestion worse as the Thors are wedged in there too!

Seaton (108pts) beat former leaders Ipplepen to snatch top spot. Pens and Plymstock are dead level on 92 with Thorverton a point behind.

Plymstock mustered 151 all out in the 44th of 45 overs. Karl Vendrasco (25) and Hal Kerton (27) got early runs, which were topped up by Mike Blackmore’s mid-innings 29.

The wicket taking was shared with two each for Shane Yelverton, Ben Coe, Nick Barton and Ben Slaviero.

Thors got to 67 for two without too much difficulty – Andy Pitt making 30 – then dipped to 85 for six as Hal Kerton (5-31) got to work.

Plymstock had Thorverton on the ropes at 114 for eight, but a dogged stand of 44 between Will Denford (27) and Nick Barton (29) got Thorverton over the line.

Andy Pitt, the Thoverton captain, said after a couple of up-and-down results it was crucial to beat a fellow promotion contender.

“It was really important win for us, as we are staying in touch with the teams above us and also managing to chase down a score after last week,” said Pitt, referring to the caning handed out by Seaton. 

“We were very pleased to bowl Plymstock out for 151. I could not fault our bowlers:  they were all brilliant.

“We made hard work of the chase and Kerton bowled well, but Will Denford and Nick Barton saw us home comfortably in the end. “

James Nicholls, Plymstock’s vice-captain, said the toss was crucial on a day when weather was a factor.

“It was another very good game of hard cricket.,” said Nicholls.

“We all knew it was a big toss and we lost it and had to get stuck in.

“Thorverton bowled really well and the ball did a lot early on.

“We battled up to 150 which was a decent score in the conditions.

“With the ball we didn't start well and let Thorverton get away.”

Nicholls said Kerton bowled Plymstock back into the game and it was touch and to who would win.

“Hal bowled really well - and quickly too - and at eight down it really was game on,” said Nicholls.

“But fair play to Barton and Denford. They dug in and batted really well to get them over the line.”

BOVEY Tracey moved further away from the relegation place in the B Division with a 38-run derby win at Chudleigh.

Ben Steer hit 74 – five sixes, four fours – and Tom Andrew made 45 in Bovey Tracey’s 217 for seven.

Dan Green with a rapid 28 off 16 balls kept the runs coming at the end.

Mark Russell (2-16) and Saqib Hasan (1-29) were Chudleigh’s value-for-money bowlers for nine overs each.

Chudleigh got to 107 for three with Matt Heather (32), Ed Foreman (39) and youngster Adam Sercombe (31) all going well.

Will Christophers turned the game with a four-for-24 spell that sent Chudleigh tumbling to 144 for seven. Derek Lammonby and Mark Solway were the not out batters in Chudleigh’s total of 179 for nine.

Only one side will go down from the B Division this season following Filleigh’s decision to withdraw after fixture lists were drawn up.

Chudleigh, who have lost three of their last four games, are now just one place and eight points away from the4 bottom.

Losing captain Heather had no complaints about the result.

“We came up against a very good Bovey side who bowled and fielded really well,” said Heather

“Our performance was an improvement on recent weeks. 

“We were chasing well but, after a couple of unfortunate wickets, lost our momentum. 

“I was really impressed with how young Adam Sercombe batted.”

BRIXHAM’S misfortunes continued with a hefty 202-run battering at Kilmington.

Kilmington have not been setting the world alight themselves this season, but someone must have lit the blue touchpaper as they soared to 393 for five in 45 overs.

Billy Reed bludgeoned 15 sixes and 13 fours – that’s 142 in boundaries – on his way to 189. Josh Short (65) and skipper Brett Garner (56) both made half-centuries.

Short and Reed put on 168 for the third wicket and Garner added another 129 for the fourth with the ton-up batter.

Dhanan Lakshan (3-59) and Lee Upham (0-43) had the most economical figures among the Brixham bowlers.

Lakshan tucked into the Kilmington bowling to make 84 in Brixham’s reply of 191 all out.

Ben Fuzzard (5-38) tore through middle order, leaving Tom Olive (3-42) to pick off the stragglers. Richard Ward (27) and Upham (29) had Brixham’s only other scores of note.

IPPLEPEN surrendered top spot to Seaton, who beat them by eight wickets at Court Lane.

The Pens struggled to 147 all out in the 42nd of 45 overs and on a bad day for batters there was not a partnership greater than 30. Batting first on a slightly damp track did not help.

Dave Harris (33) and Andrew Maynard (25) were Pens leading run scorers. 

Seaton’s new boys Wes (2-29) and Daley Holmes (4-8), both recruited from Sidmouth since the season started, dominated the bowling stats. Ben Morgan had two for 25.

Seaton reached 129 for one thanks to openers Matt Hewer (52no) and Ryan Daye (74).

Dom Durman accounted for Daye but Hewer batted through to clinch it.

Seaton skipper Morgan said: “To be honest we were quite lucky as we didn't bowl or field very well.

“We gave Ipplepen far too many extras and dropped three easy chances, although they kept giving us opportunities. 

“We did however bat superbly and went about the run chase sensibly.”

Pens’ skipper Sam Wakeham felt it was a bad toss to lose and the final margin did not reflect the game.

“We felt we bowled a lot better than losing by eight wickets suggests and I would go as far as saying it was one of our most disciplined bowling performance this season,” said Wakeham.

“At tea we were in the game if we bowled well and picked up early wickets.

“The pitch started to dry out and, unfortunately for us, Daye and Hewer batted well and didn't take many risks during the chase.

“Dave Harris showed a lot of patience and hard work for his runs.”