This weekend saw three fixtures in the Devon Women's League. Cornwood, who have started well this season, hosted Topsham, who are yet to win a game. Plympton hosted North Devon and Axminster played away at Hatherleigh in a game that would determine who would take the position at the top of the table. 

Topsham travelled to Cornwood hoping to break the run of loses that they have started the season with and Cornwood look to return to their winning ways after a couple of difficult games. Cornwood won the toss and chose to field, putting Topsham into bat on a hot and humid afternoon. After a challenging batting performance last week, Topsham were determined to build pertnerships and make their time at the crease count and opening batters Amelia Sydenham and Hannah Clarke set the tone of the innings, running singles and roatating the strike before Syndenham was idsmissed by a sharp catch by Sadie Goodliffe off Olivia Gibson's bowling. Olivia quickly struck again, fifnishing on figures 2-16 and restricted the score to 36-2. Incoming batter, Tora Saxon (32) continued with the positive batting, the next wicket not falliing on the score of 75 with Clarke out on 32. With the foundations set, Katy Baylis (42*) and Saxon (31) pushed hard to end on a final score of 156, the highest score they have had this season. 

Taking to the field, Topsham know they had to bowl well. Clare Pym started the innings well, with a run out and a wicket in the first 2 overs. Amy Gibson and Stacey Maskelyne combined to rebuild the innings, whilst Saxon and Clark managed to apply pressure from both ends, taking combined figures of 6-53 strangling many scoring opportnities in the middle overs, whilst regularly taking wickets. Cornwood's tail held on and with a final partnership of 19, before Jess Denton took the final wicket to secure Topsham's first win of the season. Topsham have played the most games in the league and have a period of rest to capitalise and practise on thier win, whilst Cornwood turn their attention to hosting Plympton next week. 

 

Plympton hosted North Devon in their second meeting of the season. North Devon won the toss and elected to bat. Kate Williams and Ellie Holland opened the batting, hoping to start well, but opening the bowling, Milly Squire (3 for 16 off 7) had other ideas and bowled both wickets early. Rose Ball (21) and Lydia Clements (30) steadied the ship, but with the loss of two quick wickets on the score of 49 and 51, North Devon had to start rebuilding their innings again. It was a family affair at the crease as Carmen Clements came in to bat and just as they were looking to recover, Georgia Henessey took the wicket of Lydia. Whilst wickets fell regularly, North Devon continued to score steadily in the middle order, but unfortunately the tail end could not hold up to the bowling and North devon lost 4 wickets in 5 runs. In 33.3 overs, North devon were all out on 130. 

North Devon took to the field to defend thier total and with an early wicket of opening batter, Cait O' Keefe, bowled by Ruby Davies, North Devon were feeling positive. However, this was to be the only wicket they would take, as Georgia Hennessy and Imogen Beasley (33*) batted confidently and positively, scoring 14 boundary 4s between them. On 52, Georgia Hennessey retired not out and Jemma Horton came to the crease to take Plympton comfortably over the total with 9 wickets in hand. With this comfortable win, Plympton take second position in the table with games in hand. 

 

In the last game featured, Hatherleigh hosted Axminster in a game they never expected to win, as in both previous meetings Hatherleigh had failed to score more than 20. Axminster won the toss and elected to bat and Hatherleigh took to the field expecting a long afternoon. However, with tight bowling from sisters Holly and Hester Presswell, and the early wicket of Holly Elsworth, caught and bowled by Holly Presswell, Hatherleigh felt more positive. However this was to be short lived as Cassia Astley-Jones (38) and Maddie Hollifield (24) built an innings, scoring regular boundaries. A change of bowling from Hatherleigh was to prove a breakthrough, as Eloise Maxa (3 for 18 off 4) took both the wickets of Cassia and Maddie within 9 runs and Axminster were 79-3. Another change of bowling proved too much for the Axminster batters and within 11 runs, Axminster lost their remianing wickets, being bowled out for 91 in 20.3 overs, leaving the Hatherleigh tail end bowlers with some impressive figures- Kirsty Hambly, 2 for 1 off 2 and India Spears, 2 for 1 off 2.3 with 2 maiden overs.  

Hatherleigh were hopeful, but knew that their batting had let them down in the past and so had to concentrate and bat sensibly. Opening bowler Zoe Dare( 2 for 12 off 4) made that difficult for them and soon Hatherleigh were 13-2. With two new batsmen at the crease, Maddie Hollifield capitalised and took another wicket, leaving Kirsty Hambley, who has batted well in all games, at the crease with Holly Presswell, the new batsmen. Together they batted really positively and at the fall of Kirsty's wicket, Hatherleigh were 62-4. A further quick wicket fell for no runs and at 62-5 and it was looking a very close game. Angie Rose came in to partner Holly, and continued the positive batting with a quick 12 off 14 balls. A late cameo for Lucy Quick (6 runs off 5 balls) and the 20 runs off 20 balls by Holly saw Hatherleigh over the mark, unexpectedly winning to remain top of the table.