SOUTH ONE
By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE
MORGAN Harford and Matt Needham snatched four wickets each to earn Barton a 34-run win away to Bovey Tracey II.
Barton fought back from a nervous 15 for three with Darren Cowley just out for a duck to make 231 for eight.
Chris Penna (41) and skipper Adam Parker (60) turned things round with a stand of 71 then Parker added another 58 in cahoots with Matt Lipton (20) and Needham (13).
Aaron Hearn (24) and Greg Shelton (27) made what proved to be useful runs in the last 10 overs.
Charles Hill (3-27) and Jamie Bishop (2-27) were the leading Bovey wicket takers.
Bovey started well – they reached 63 for two thanks largely to Derek Perry (32) – and at the other end had Tom Andrew on his way to 47.
What Bovey could not do was compile worthwhile stands as wickets fell regularly mostly to Harford (4-42).
With Andrew out of the way it was down to Needham (4-37) to whip out the lower order as Bovey were dismissed for 197
Winning skipper Parker noted there was more to winning this game than bowling out the opposition.
“There were lots of contributors with bat and ball and we did well to get to 231 after being 15 for three,” said Parker.
“When it was hot and hard work we stuck at it in the field.
“Hopefully that’s something to build on now and we can get some good performances in the last three games.”
TIM Western and Chris Kelmere helped themselves to half-centuries in Torquay’s seven-wicket win over Abbotskerswell.
Abbots recovered from wobbling from 72 for two to 98 for six to make 166 all out in the 39th of their 45 overs.
Eddie Smout-Cooper made runs up top then Richard Acton (31) and Connor Adams (28) fashioned a stand of 56 that helped post a respectable total.
Tormentors in chief with the ball for Torquay were Kelmere (4-24) and Tom Drake (3-15).
Torquay were 15 for two after losing Steve Lewis and Noah Rider cheaply, but that was as good as it got for Abbots.
Western (59no) and Kelmere, who hit 55 against one of his former club, killed off Abbots with a stand of 98. Had Abbots catching been better Kelmere would not have lasted that long.
Drake (36no) was in at the end when the post was passed in the 40th over.
Mike Pugh, Torquay’s director of development and another Abbots old boy, was keen to share the credit around for a win that keeps Torquay top of South One.
“There were no real stand-out players in what was a good team performance,” said Pugh.
“We were disciplined in everything we did – batting, bowling and fielding.”
Beaten captain Watkin said after the high of beating Barton seven days earlier this was a definite low.
“Everything we did well previous week we didn't do against Torquay,” said Watkin.
“We didn't bat well in partnerships, there were cheap dismissals from poor shots and we didn't bat our overs, which was criminal batting first in those conditions.
“Considering the heat I thought we bowled well, but we dropped crucial catches, which you can’t afford with 166 on the board.
“We need to bounce back this week against Barton with a better performance.”
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