By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE
BOVEY Tracey 2nd XI captain Dan Green lifted the Aaron Printers Cup after his side edged home against Paignton by 11-runs in a low-scoring final at South Devon CC.
Although the scores may have been on the low side – torrential rain the day before the final made the ground slower than it would normally be – there was no shortage of tension.
Bovey’s 20-over total of 124 looked on the low side despite the conditions and owed a lot to miserly bowling from Paignton. Cole Harford – four overs for eight runs – was particularly hard to score against.
Paignton looked down and out at 33 for five in reply with dangerman Luke Medlock long back in the pavilion for 13. He was one of four wickets claimed by Bovey’s Charlie Hill, who went on to win the man-of-the-match award.
Just when it looked all over for Paignton, Charlie Ward and Rory Medlock struck up a partnership that put the team right back in the game.
Ultimately, 16 to win off the final over from left-arm spinner Ollie Clifford-Bourne proved just a few too many. But Bovey knew they had been in a game.
Green, the winning captain, said although he backed his side from a long way out to win he was not surprised how the game see-sawed.
“Paignton are a good side when some fine young players and we always knew it would be a struggle to beat them,” said Green.
“We thought at half way we needed another 20 or so at least and it was not until last over, with Ollie Clifford Bourne bowling, that we knew we were safe when they required 16.”
Bovey’s primary run getters were opened Jamie Bishop (33), Seb Ansley with 24 off 17 balls and Green, whose 31 off 20 balls got the board moving after a slow spell.
George Pitman’s 13 off 11 balls in the latter overs proved important when the scores were totalled.
Bovey seamer Hill (4-12) took all of the first four Paignton wickets to fall with Medlock the big prize, His semi-final half-century had been key in defeating Torquay to reach the final.
Clifford-Bourne made it 33 for five when bowled Harford and at that point Bovey could be excused for thinking the cup was already theirs. It wasn’t.
Ward and Medlock went along at a steady six an over from the word go and as the target came down the tension went up.
An over from Green cost 10 runs and was followed by another worth nine from Freddie Ford at the other end and 10 more against Harry Pitman, who had replaced Green. Forty to win from the last five overs: now it really was game on!
What Paignton needed was one ‘big’ over – 14-16 perhaps – to swing the game their way. It did not happen.
By the time Medlock was stumped three balls from the end the outcome was already assured. The cup was going to Bovey Tracey and both sides knew it.
Bovey Tracey 124 (J Bishop 33, D Green 31, S Ansley 24; C Harford 2-8, L Medlock 2-20), Paignton 113-6 (C Ward 40no, R Medlock 31l C Hill 4-12, O Clifford-Bourne 2-12). Bovey Tracey bt Paignton by 11 runs.
