By OLLIE SMITH
SOUTH Brent’s Dave Lewis starred in all three facets of the game as his side came out on top in a nail-biting one run win away to Babbacombe 2nd XI.
Brent won the toss and chose to bat at Walls Hill, and opener Kieran Joy (34) laid the foundations for a strong total. Dave Lewis came in at 36 for one and supported Joy with 43.
There was a mini collapse, Brent went from 104 for one to four down for the same total, Dom Passmore (2- 50) took two of the wickets to fall. Matt Down (21) and notorious big hitter Dave Stubbs (26) both chipped in with scores nestled in the twenties to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Dave Lee, a winter recruit from St Marychurch Old Boys, was the best of the Babbacombe bowlers with three for 27, as Brent fell short of the fifth batting point, finishing on 197 all out.
The Babbacombe run chase got off to the perfect start, openers Marcus Thompson (68) and Dan Machin (59) put on 110 together before the latter was dismissed by Chris O’Hare (two for 35). Ball-by-ball data isn’t available for this match, however Machin’s knock appeared to come in quick time, as 52 of his 59 runs came from boundaries.
Dave Brown, another winter signing from SMOB, where he was captain, chipped in with 23. Andy Lockyer also added the same score to the total.
No one else reached double figures for Babbacombe, as Declan Dowler (two for 26) and Dave Lewis (five for 43) prevented the host’s tail from wagging.
Three of Lewis’ wickets were for ducks, as he suffocated the Babbacombe batting line-up. The last home wicket to fall was Finley Thompson, also for nought, and only two runs short of victory, he was bowled by captain Chris Roud with the score on 196.
Babbacombe would have thought the game was in the bag at one point, they were sitting pretty on 189 for five. Seven runs and five wickets later, they were on the receiving end of a one-run defeat.
Roud was complimentary of player of the match Lewis, “Dave is a fantastic cricketer and we’re very lucky to have him.”
“He can produce moments of magic with the bat, ball, and in the field. In this match he did all three.”
Roud thought his side left runs out there, but never felt out of the game, “We felt 197 was probably 30 runs short, but we always felt we were in the game.”
“Even when they had wickets in hand, they were never far ahead of the required run rate.”
“After a surprise promotion with the restructuring of the league, we feel like we can compete with anyone, but this season we will be more than happy to consolidate.”
