Whitchurch pick up valuable bowling points

Losing heavily to Brixham means that Whitchurch Wayfarers are now rooted firmly at the bottom of the D Division West table.

On the positive side, Whitchurch left the ground with three more points than the previous visitors did, which could make all the difference at the end of the season.

Despite having a ‘scratch’ team, Whitchurch did extremely well against strong opposition. Richard Potts put the home team into bat knowing that a long afternoon in the field would follow.

From first ball to last his fielders didn’t let him down. Berren Royce-Rogers (0-32) beat the bat regularly without any luck while Darren Sambells (1-59) picked up the only wicket to fall before drinks.

The expected runs flowed off the bat, Tom Hopper (72), Chris Lanyon (43) and Craig Eaves (45) all hitting the ball cleanly. Brixham cruised to full batting points.

Crucially, Whitchurch picked up bowling points – Marc Kerswill, Jason Webber and Ben Hodge each picking up two wickets.

Hodge took two outstanding catches, one running in the deep and an instinctive caught and bowled that left the batsman shaking his head in disbelief.

It would be better to draw a veil over the Whitchurch reply. Phil Mansfield (19) managed to hang around but Eaves (3-6) and Rhys Dallow (3-4) swept through the line-up; Whitchurch grateful to pick up two batting points as they limped to 85.

Heavy morning showers left the Whitchurch second XI pitch somewhat damp. Visitors Ipplepen third XI asked the home team to bat.

Lewis Borlase (4-50) soon had Whitchurch struggling on 25-4. A 90-run stand between Fynn Hall (51) and Tom Sherrell (56) proved decisive. Hall, scoring his maiden half century, was particularly fluent on the off side.

Both kept the fielders on their toes with quick singles intermingled with towering sixes. A quickfire 23 from Kenny McKenzie saw Whitchurch reach 177.

Strong start sets Hatherleigh seconds on their way to win

IVYBRIDGE second XI made their Hatherleigh counterparts work every inch of the way for a one-wicket win.

Ivybridge were all out for 195 which Hatherleigh got after a defiant last wicket stand between Richard Tidball and tail-ender Ed Dumpleton, who put on 39 to win it.

Andy Johnson (45) and Josh Zimmerman (47) got the Bridge up to 138 for three before the innings slowed.

Best of the bowling for Hatherleigh came from Tom Carroll (3-29) and Henry Nicholson (3-28) with Tidball (2-23) not far behind.

Openers Ryan Quick (34) and Greg Solkin (29) pointed Hatherleigh in the right direction before Jon Doel (3-41) and Lewis Clarke (2-45) sent them on a detour to 92 for six.

Danny Forrester (43) staved off total collapse, but when he was ninth out on 158 for nine it looked like Ivybridge’s game.

Dumpleton and Tidball had other ideas and saw Hatherleigh home with four overs to spare.

Whitchurch pick up valuable bowling points

JAMES White lashed a century to put Tavistock on course for an eight-wicket win over Ivybridge.

Ivybridge made a respectable 241 for seven in the full 45 overs – opener Harvey Johnson making 122.

White raced to 105 off 86 balls and by the time his opening stand with Steve Luffman was broken on 181 there was only one likely outcome.

‘We knew there was 250 in the wicket,’ said Tavistock skipper Shaun Daymond. ‘And James and Steve batted superbly and did what was needed.’

Luffman made 88 before he was second out with the scores level. Dave Manning came out to watch from the other end as Billy Barriball (29no) hit the winning runs.

Earlier, Johnson was involved in stands totalling 230 and was still there with nine balls to go when Dom Snyman (2-56) got him out.

Will Scott-Munden (3-52) was Tavistock’s leading wicket taker. Daymond – nine overs bowled for 22 runs given away – was the cheapest bowler.

Yelverton have a day to forget

YELVERTON came a proper cropper at Paignton, where they crashed to a nine-wicket defeat.

Dave Ackford (23) and Andy Birkett (22) gave Yelverton a solid start, but from 67 for one they slumped to 84 for six as Rory Medlock (3-43) spun through the middle order.

James Cooper with 26, aided and abetted by Joe Panes (17) and Hadleigh Scott-Kirk (10) got the running total up to 138 for seven. Rio Koyikara (3-7) mopped-up the bottom order to dismiss Yelverton for 141.

Paignton had the runs knocked-off inside 22 overs thanks to second-wicket pair Connor Bryan (55) and Medlock (50), who put on 101 unbroken.