STEVE Moore led Barnstaple & Pilton to their first C Division East win of the season in his last game as skipper.
Eleven years after taking on the captaincy at Barnstaple & Pilton, Moore has had enough of internal pressures that left the club unable to get a second team out last Saturday.
Moore has left the club to rejoin former club Braunton – and James Lake has chosen to go with him to Kelsey.
Two further blows for Barnstaple & Pilton are the departure of Moore’s son Jack to Premier side North Devon and the loss of all-rounder Henry McEndoo, who has taken up a job in Cornwall.
Moore junior was the Devon League’s young player of the year in 2017 and the Devon county development player of the season in 2019. He scored a double hundred against Worcestershire in a youth game last summer.
Moore said he was sad to be leaving B&P, but could not carry on.
“Jack leaving is not the reason for my decision, but issues within the club mean that to carry on as captain is impossible,” said Moore.
“I hugely regret having to make this decision, but feel this is in the best interest of the cricket club.”
Exeter City manager Matt Taylor plays cricket for Alphington when his commitments allow and he top scored with 73 in their total of 163 for eight.
Taylor was sixth out with the score on 145 having added 81 with Phil Walker (39no).
Moore junior and both McEndoo brothers, George and Henry, claimed two wickets each.
Sam Bithell (51) and Jack Moore (61) took B&P in touching distance of victory with a stand of 93. Bits and pieces finished the job.
FENITON’S winning streak at the top of the C Division East continued with a 20-run victory in the top-of-the-table clash at Upottery.
Upottery ere second in the table going into the game but have dropped back to fourth.
Feniton were glad of a half-century from Sam Vincent batting at seven for getting as far as 161 all out. They were 70 for five when he went in.
In-form James Mitcham did the damage with the ball for Upottery, He took six wickets for 21 runs off nine overs.
Jonathan Pyle knocked over both Upottery openers, but Jack Larcombe (22) and Mitcham (61) rebuilt.
Mitcham batted on after Larcombe until he was last man out on 141.
Vincent wrapped up a productive match by dismissing Mitcham to finish with figures of three for 28.
BRAUNTON are up to second place in the C West table following a six-wicket romp against Ottery St Mary.
Callum Mitchell (3-22) and Mark Russell (3-41) sent Ottey plummeting from 35 for one to 67 for seven before Henry Mutter, Joe Birch (21) and Will Harrison (18) put up some resistance.
Brunton skipper Dan Brierley brought himself on to break things up and took two wickets in five balls to wind-up the innings.
Jon Baglow (32) and Mitchell (18) got the Braunton chase started, Alex Hodges (21) kept it going and Ben Whitty (21no) finished things off.
For Braunton skipper Brierley it was a win to savour.
“All round we were brilliant,” said Brierley.
“We bowled and fielded superbly – five catches between the keeper and the slips – and batted sensibly.”
SHOBROOKE Park could not match Sidmouth 2nd XI for firepower as they went down in flames to a 106-run defeat on the Fortfield.
Sidmouth opened up with stand of 126 between Elliot Rice (56) and Nick Mansfield and went on to reach 274 for four.
Isaac Thomas was the only batter to miss out as Thomas Moore (73) and Anthony Griffiths (28) kept the wheels turning.
Keeping a lid on the Sidmouth batters was a challenge for Shobrooke’s bowlers, although Bruce Kerry and Jon James fared better than most with identical figures of 9-0-35-1.
Significantly, Shobrooke did not bowl a single maiden over.
Shobrooke started as though the meant business with Dan Robbins (56) and Jon James (32) putting on 85 at better than run-a-ball rate against the seamers.
When skipper Griffiths turned to spin the scoring rate slowed and wickets fell.
Jareerk Shikrani kept an end going for 46 but there were four ducks and a nought not out at the other as Charlie Dibble (4-23), Jordan Fowler (2-48) and Toby Seldon (2-26) ran through the lower order.
HEATHCOAT 2nd XI were five-wicket winners against Exeter 2nd XI on the County Ground in a game affected by rain.
Amerjeet Singh (41) and Cameron Cunningham (41) were Exeter’s main run getters in a 45-over total of 215 for eight. Paul Elliott (4-27) was Heathcoat’s most effective bowler.
Toby Lochead (63) and Chris Parks (31) took Heathcoat to 155 for five before rain stopped play.
After calculators had been tapped, Heathcoat were two runs ahead of the asking rate.
