On Sunday May 26th Paignton hosted their first ever league game as new entrants into Division 2. Paignton won the toss and elected to field. As a new club they have a mixed team of established hardball young cricketers as well as ladies who have moved over from softball training in their team. Their campiagn started well by taking three early wickets and Plymouth were soon 19-3. Tight bowling from Poppy Bell (2 for 8 off 5), Katie Harman (1 for 10 off 7), Daisy Pascoe (2 for 11 off 5) and Charlotte Massey ( 1 for 7 off 4) made run scoring diffcult for Plymouth, but Sheridan Lewis dug in and was key to allowing Plymouth to bat the overs and finish with a score of 103.
Paignton then went into bat and it seemed the first innings would be repeated with Paignton losing an early wicket of the opening bat, bowled by Molly Marsh. However this was to be the only wicket, as Katie Harman (34*) batted through to chase the runs down in 21.3 overs, with Charlotte Massey (57*), who completed the innings with a league 50 debut.
Paignton are hoping to continue their success when they meet Sandford later this month and Plymouth return to their first match winning ways when they host Bradnich.
On 2nd June, Hatherleigh travelled through endless holiday traffic and torrential rain to Topsham for a game they never thought they would play due to rain. However, despite black sky all around, the sun seemed to shine in Topsham and the game was clear to go ahead.
Topsham St James won the toss and elected to field. This seemed just the right decison to make as the damp conditions led to an early wicket of the opening bat and Hatherleigh were quickly 0-1. In came Kirsty Hambly at 3 and she and India Spears started to build a partnership. Just as they were looking like they might start to increase the run rate, India was run out and then the next batter caught and Hatherleigh were 32-3. Kirsty, whose birthday it was, was the key to Hatherleigh's innings and while wickets fell at regular intervals around her with great bowling from Tora Saxon (3 for 21 off 7) Kirsty batted to the end of the 35 overs, finishing on 39 not out.
After tea and birthday cake, Topsham took to the crease and started very positively. Despite an early run out, Topsham began to build a really strong partnership between Sally Hammond and Hannah Clark. The pace bowlers came and went and something different was needed for Hatherleigh, as Topsham were taking hold of the game. Change of pace and bowler to 15 year old Lucy Quick ( 3 for 12 off 6) made all the difference and with her first ball broke the building partnership. Along with change of pace from the other end with Kirsty Hambly (1 for 9 off 4), Hatherleigh took 4 quick wickets for 18 runs and this turned the game around, especially with the loss of Sally Hammond who had batted so well. Topsham had unfortunately lost 2 players during the game, one to injury and one to illness and so were moving into their last batters. Clare Pym came in and revived Topsham's hopes with a very quick 11 runs, but a mix up running between the wickets gave Hatherleigh the chance of a run out, which Angie Rose took, to end the innings. Topsham were 95 all out.
Both teams will be in action again on 23rd June, Topsham hosting Plympton and Hatherleigh travelling away to North Devon, both on 23rd June
