Barnstaple and Pilton 200 for 7 Dartington & Totnes 175 for 8
Barnstaple 15 points D&T 9 points
After putting their opponents in to bat, tight bowling by Dartington and Totnes had kept Barnstaple in check until a flurry of runs in the last six overs spoiled things. D&T made a good attempt to overhaul Barnstaple but wickets fell too frequently and in the end they had to settle for a draw.
D&T had made a good start with opening bowlers Ryan Stevenson and Will Gornal in good form. Ryan, as usual, bowled superbly beating the bat on numerous occasions and took first blood when George McEndoe, on 9, mistimed a shot and chipped the ball over the bowler. The ball appeared to be out of Ryan’s reach, however his leap just seemed to get higher and higher as he plucked the ball out of the air one-handed to take a fine catch.
Will had a couple of very good lbw shouts turned down before finally trapping May for 5 and Barnstaple were on the back foot. Despite being a pair of strapping six footers, age restrictions meant that Ryan and Will are only allowed to bowl 7 over spells. Harolthus had to make an enforced bowling change after 14 overs and turned to his slower bowlers Bertus and Mick – the latter having a rare run out with the first team. Mick wasn’t expecting to bowl thinking he’d only travelled to make up the numbers. The pair bowled 26 overs in tandem and kept things reasonably tight.
Saunders and Jack Popham consolidated for Barnstaple until Popham was run out for 25, after good work by Will. At the mid point of the innings Barnstaple were 72 for 3. New man Andy Barton showed aggressive intent and hit several lofted drives off Mick which narrowly evaded fielders. Barton (17) had an escape when another similar shot wasn’t held but his reprieve was shot lived as Matt Thurlow took a fine diving catch at mid-on off Mick(1 for 41) to give him his first B division scalp. Bertus (2 for 54) joined in the fun having Popham stumped by Kyle for 32 and then trapping Ross Burbridge lbw. After 40 overs Barnstaple were 136 for 6.
Number 6 batsman, Ed Yeo, who had arrived late and normally bats at 3, proved obdurate and had been steadily accumulating runs. The Ryan and Will provoked an onslaught from Yeo. 64 runs came from the final 6 overs with the extra pace helping Yeo who combined a mixture of powerful straight drives and edges behind the wicket. Tom Popham was run out but Yeo and Cole added a further 38 runs with Cole scoring just four of them. Yeo lashed Will’s penultimate delivery the mid-wicket boundary where Joe (Hockings) took a marvellous catch from a no-ball. Yeo duly brought up the 200 off the final delivery to finish on 76 not out.
Angus Wilson and Kalon Veale opened the batting against good opening bowling. Both looked comfortable and it was a surprise when Angus took a swish at Burbidge and was bowled for 4. Kiwi Kyle soon followed- an lbw victim of Burbidge (2 for 34). Kalon looked in good touch and took the score to 61 with Joe before being caught for 31 by a juggling catch at slip, by that man Yeo, off Harry McEndoo (2 for 43). Joe failed to spot McEndoo’s googly and was stumped for 21. Matt and Bertus batted well for the fifth wicket and looked like they might win the game for us, adding 57 before Bertie holed out for 22 off George McEndoo. Matt went shortly afterwards for 36. This brought in Harold to join Ryan. The required rate had climbed to eight an over but when Ryan was run out on 162, this signalled the end of the run chase. Harold and Will secured the additional batting point with Will hitting a couple of good boundaries as both finished undefeated. Young Jack Popham was the pick of the Barnstaple bowlers with 2 for 34 off 13 overs.