Stokeinteignhead 1st XI 88 all out, Dartington &Totnes 2nd XI 89 for 2
Dartington and Totnes (20 points) beat Stokeinteignhead (3 points) by 8 wickets.
Gavin had the rare luxury of a surfeit of available players and selflessly chose to leave himself out and do the tea. However, it seemed he might play after all when David was stuck in traffic and Gav had to draft is his sisters, Melissa and Lyndsey to do a fantastic job with the tea Even without him we cruised to a satisfying victory with 25 overs to spare. Mick bowled a devastating 6 over spell, taking 4 for 2 which knocked the stuffing out of Stokeinteignhead’s top order and Jim Lowden and David Harvey featured in an unbeaten third wicket stand of 67 to secure victory.
Stokeinteignhead won the toss and had no hesitation in deciding to bat. Their openers, Longrigg and Carpenter looked very accomplished and like the rest of their top order looked to play positively from the off. They were ticking along at 5 an over and looking untroubled before Carpenter, on 7, got a leading edge to a ball from Keld, who was bowling well. The ball appeared to be falling a yard short of Phil Power at short mid-wicket, however, his arm appeared to be bionic as he stretched forward to take a fine one handed catch.
Longrigg was on 22 and batting very well when Mick Rusling relieved Steve Mudge in the attack. Mick found the edge of Longrigg’s bat with his first delivery- a full toss- which floated into the air and into Keld’s safe hands at short fine leg. Mick bowled Thornton-Clark for 12 in his next over. New man Presst smashed a delivery from Keld (2 for 40) towards mid off where Jon took a marvellous diving catch, which was probably a turning point in the match and rocked the Teign men. Mick,skippering in Gav’s absence, hit a purple patch and struck again in the following over bowling Gray for 2 and Stoke were rocking on 58 for 5. Though lacking Jofra Archer’s pace, Mick’s flight and movement continued to produce results and he bowled Stoke skipper Tom Hawkings for 2.
After surprisingly persuading Mick take himself off with at least a fivefor beckoning Mudgey returned to the attack to have go at the tail. He induced Puttnam (9) to crack the ball to square leg where Alex Perkin, cool as a cucumber, took a good catch. Mudgey then trapped Burman lbw with his next delivery to end his over. Mick had been planning to get the youngsters into the attack but gave Mudgey the chance of a hat trick. Nick Harvey top edged Phil high into the air and wicketkeeper PT made no mistake with the catch. In the following over Mudgey (3 for 25) failed to get his hat trick but did trap Peek lbw to end the innings.
Stokeinteignhead were fielding strong top order and it has been an exceptional performance to dismiss them for just 88 runs.
Mudgey, keen to get to Plainmoor to watch Torquay United, opened the batting with P T. After playing a couple of lusty shots he was dismissed for 5, finding the toe of his bat and holing out to Nick Harvey at mid-on off Burman (2 for 32). PT became Burman’s second victim when he was adjudged lbw, also for 5. That was as good as it got for Stokeinteignhead- Jim and David, playing just his second match for D&T played expansively against useful bowling. Dave is a hard hitting batsman and struck six fours in his unbeaten 36. Jim is class act and struck five fours in his unbeaten 34.