Dartington and Totnes Cricket Club’s colts have made a good start to the season in the South Devon League, with six wins out of seven matches for the under 11, under 13 and under 15 teams.
The under 11 team, playing in the B division, have won both their matches starting with a comfortable win at Stoke Gabriel. They restricted the home team to just 50 runs in their 20 overs, with Alfie Tucker taking two of the four wickets to fall, and reached their target easily thanks to Finlay Evans (18 not out) and Tucker (16 not out). A few days later the team welcomed Kingbridge to the Foxhole ground and won a crushing victory. D&T scored 94 with Josh Orell retiring after scoring 30 and Gabriel Rogers hitting 15 not out. In reply Kingsbridge were bowled out for just 9, with Evans taking three wickets and Sam Tanner two in two balls leaving him on a hattrick for the next match.
The under 13 team, continuing in the A division, have played three matches and won two. Away at Torquay they restricted the hosts to just 80 for 9, with Matthew Adams and Tyler Walton taking 2 wickets each and keeper Ollie Payne taking two catches, a stumping and a direct hit run out. In reply Alex Hartridge retired after reaching 30, then Jamie Ridge (13 not out) and Charlie Johansen (12 not out) saw D&T to a 6 wicket victory. The trip to Paignton proved unsuccessful as D&T failed to chase the hosts’ target of 109, being bowled out for just 74. Hartridge top scored with 26 and Johansen took 2 wickets in the Paignton innings. However the team returned to winning ways on their trip to Kingsbridge, scoring an impressive 123 for 5 off their 20 overs. Joe Pratt (22) and Ridge (20) built the score up early on with some excellent running, before some big hitting from Adams (27 not out) at the end. In reply Kingsbridge reached 89 for 7, with John Roberts taking 4 for 3 off his 3 overs.
The under 15 team have won both their matches so far in the B division beating Kingskerswell by 31 runs and Shaldon by 6 wickets. In the first match Robbie Luscombe, from the under 13 team, top scored with 20, supported by Zak Shepperd (15) and Jordan Hodge (14) as D&T reached 82 for 7 from their 20 overs. They then bowled Kingskerswell out for just 51 with Zak Brown taking 3 wickets and Joe Eaton and Luscombe taking two each. At Shaldon the home team reached 109 all out, with Chester Rogers taking 4 for 7 and Hodge and Mike Sandercock taking two wickets each. In reply D&T reached their target in just 16 overs thanks to good batting from Andrew Bligh (26), Shepperd (28 not out) and Will Harris (23).