Last weekend saw a busy Sunday for the Ladies' League with two matches taking place in Division 1 and Division Two.
For the last few weeks, Hatherleigh had sat at the top of the table for Division One and they know that this game with Plympton would be a difficult one and one that could take Plympton to the top of the table. Fresh from their success at the Kia Summer Super Smash, where Plympton are through to the National Finals at the Kia Oval in September, Plympton made short work of their fixture with Hatherleigh, proving they would be well deserving winners of the League.
Playing at Petrockstowe, Hatherleigh welcomed Plympton, who were fielding a very strong team. Plympton won the toss and elected to bat. Georgia Hennessey (58) and Milly Squire (58) opened the batting and set Plympton off with an excellent 112 partnership before the fall of the first wicket of Milly Squire to India Spears' bowling. Despite Hatherleigh taking regular wickets, 6 in total, Plympton batters scored consistently and quickly, keeping the run rate high and finally finishing on a total of 251, an impressive 7.17 runs an over. Hatherleigh were pleased with their wicket taking points and were looking to hold out for a batting point at the crease, but the bowling of the county players - Milly Squire(3 for 3 off 2.1 and Ana Hampson 3 for 6 off 3) proved too much for the less experienced batters of Hatherleigh and with a top score of 14 from Angie Rose, Hatherleigh were bowled out for 49 in 18.1 overs. This result takes Plympton 2 points clear of Hatherleigh at the top of the table and with the two teams meeting again this weekend, Plympton are hopeful that their lead will be extended as the League moves into the end of the season.
Elsewhere in the first division, Cornwood hosted Axminster and after being bowled out cheaply by Axminster in their last meeting, Cornwood felt they had a lot to prove. Both sides struggled with availability for the game, both sides still finding players on the morning of the game.
Axminster won the toss and opted to bowl, J Poole making a return to the filed after injury. With an early wicket from Poole, breaking the partnership of Sadie Goodliffe and Amy Gibson, Cornwood worried that the innings would be a repeat of the previous game. Despite losing regular wickets - two wickets each for Holly Elsworth, J Poole and CJarvis, steady and positive batting from Johnston (23), Bale (20) and a personal best from E Gibson of 49, Cornwood batted out their innings, ending on a total of 136.
In their last meeting Axminster had scored 222, so despite a great performance Cornwood knew they had to strike early with the ball. They did exactly that with Brooks taking a catch off the bowling of Bale to take the wicket of opener Holly Elsworth. Cornwood continued to dominate withe the ball and regular wickets were taken, Emily Broad being the top scorer for Axminster on 36. It was to be E Gibson's day with the ball as well as the bat, finishing her 7 overs with 4 wickets for 16 runs. Fielding only 8 players, Axminster's last wicket fell after 24 overs with a score of 75. This 61 run win could not have been more different to the 190 run defeat that Cornwood had suffered earlier in the season and as they head to Topsham next weekend, they hope to retain their winning ways.
In Division Two, Paington hosted Bradnich, while the fixture between Bovey Tracey and Sandford was not played. Bradnich won the toss at Paignton and elected to bat. Paignton quickly took the upper hand in the game with early wickets from the bowling of Katie Harman and Hollie Perkin. With decisive bowling from Poppy Bell ( 3 for 3 off 4), Paignton took regular wickets and with Bradnich never building a partnership of more than 20 runs, they were bowled out for 65 after 27.1 overs, Megan Acton top scoring on 14. Bradnich took to the field, knowing they had to be just as effective with the ball and at 20-3, it looked like that could be the case. However, a steady 5th wicket partnership of 33 between Julie Simpson (19*) and Hollie Perkin (16), saw Paignton nearly over the line when Hollie lost her wicket off the bowling of Florence Gallagher when the score was 63. A tidy four runs at the end for Julie, saw Paignton safely home with the loss of 5 wickets in 17.2 overs. Paignton have played all their games but one and in the final weekend of play in the league they face Sandford, who sit second place in the table with two games in hand. With Plymouth on equal points with Sandford, it could be an interesting end to the season.
