Whitchurch II 244 for 8 declared, Dartington & Totnes II 147 all out
The adage ‘catches win matches’ proved to be accurate in this match as D&T were punished for dropping Whitchurch opening batsman Daumond several times as he went on to make 102 and set up the victory.
The game started well for D&T, skipper Myles Sydenham, won the toss and put Whitchurch in on a damp pitch at Dartington. Opening batsmen Daumond and Andy Alford struggled to score runs against D&T opening bowlers Mick Rusling and Sam Gornall. Neither bowler had any luck- Daumond skied a delivery from Rusling which wasn’t held and Gornall beat the bat outside the off stump on numerous occasions. After 21 overs Whitchurch had reached 60, more crucially however, they had all their wickets intact which they were to exploit ruthlessly.
Daumond took a shine to the new bowers and began to dominate with boundaries flowing freely. He gave several sharp chances which weren’t held. Whitchurch had 132 on the board before they lost their first wicket when Liam Gray had Alford caught behind for 26 by Chris Life- finally a chance had been held! Gray bowled Billy Barriball with his next delivery as D&T sniffed a change in fortune. Nigel Barriball was soon belting the ball around with gusto. Daumond completed his hundred and then holed out to Sydenham at mid off, who ended up lying on his back and clutching the ball gratefully. Another wicket for Gray who was now enjoying some revenge. Gray bowled Barriball for 43 and then caught and bowled Kieron Alford for 13. By now Whitchurch were well over 200. Rusling(2 for 30), back for his second spell, bowled skipper Tamlin and Dom Monger for ducks and Gray took his sixth wicket (6 for 87) when he trapped Scrivener lbw, leaving Josh Monger not out 27, as Whitchurch declared with one over remaining.
There were no demons in the pitch which had dried out as Cliff Lowe got D&T off to a good start. Quentin Thwaites defended doggedly until Griffin bowled him for 3. Lowe continued to attack the bowlers assisted by Darren Colegate who was soon finding the boundary himself. The score was moving nicely when disaster struck. From 72 for one D&T collapsed to 76 for 5 as the heart of the batting was ripped out. Lowe became Griffin’s second victim when he holed out to Scrivener at mid on. Three overs later Tamlin took three wickets in four balls: He bowled Colegate for 28, Mike Jarvis for 1 and then Life holed out to Scrivener at mid off.
Josh Thomas hit a trademark cameo 17 in quick time before Scrivener caught him off Griffin who then bowled Liam Cotton to finish with 4 for 49.Gray got stuck in and made 28 before being bowled by a very low delivery from Billy Barriball. D&T still fancied themselves to get a losing draw but when master blocker Sydenham was lbw to Tamlin (4 for 40) the game was up and D&T quickly succumbed.