By OLLIE SMITH
A CENTURY each for Simon Jennings and Sumit Ghangas put Newton Tracey on their way to a crushing victory over Sidbury in the E Division East.
Visitors Newton Tracey won the toss and immediately chose to bat at the Millfield. A steady start from Andrew Hart (19) and Kieran Soper (29) paved the way for a 199-run partnership between Jennings and Ghangas,
The pair came together in the eleventh over, and the stand wasn’t broken until the end of the 38th, when Ghangas was caught off the bowling of Syam Manakkad for 131, only using up 78 deliveries. Ghangas fired 15 fours and eight sixes in his innings.
Jennings survived two more overs, before opposition captain Ed Chester claimed his wicket, finally departing for 128 from 106. The pair helped Newton Tracey to a mammoth total of 342 for five from their 45 overs.
Devon League records are notoriously patchy in places. If the stats are to be believed, Jennings and Ghangas beat the previous E Division best for any wicket of 233 set by Chardstock batters Will Huddy and Gavin Churchill against Woodbury back in 2003
Needing almost eight runs per over, Sidbury never got near the rate. Former captain Alex Paget tried his best, but he was the last man out for 96 off the bowling of man-of-the-moment Ghangas.
Paget was the third of Ghangas’ (3-46) wickets. Neil Ayre (2-32), Rob Gear (2-39) and Domi Moore (2-29) were the other key bowlers for Newton Tracey.
Hosts Sidbury were all out for 187, falling short of their target by 155 runs.
“It was a wonderful win against our sparring partners of recent years,” said Newton Tracey captain Simon Gear. “The game was played in great competitive spirit.
“Aggressive stroke play from Simon Jennings and Sumit Ghangas was a great watch, and their maiden E Division hundreds allowed us to take the game away from Sidbury.
“Our plans for the season are to compete for the top spot, but also to try and learn from last year that there are plenty of sides who can turn you over if you think you are better than you are.”
