Dartington & Totnes 121 all out , Chagford 70 all out
Dartington & Totnes’ first eleven started the season with a 51 run win over Chagrford. Harry Baxendale took 5 for 17 and ripped the heart out of the Chagford batting after Matt Sevior had earlier been D&T’s saviour with the bat scoring 46.
D&T were put in to bat on a very difficult wicket with virtually no bounce, due to recent prolonged wet weather. Baxendale and Sevior put on 34 for the first wicket before Baxendale was bowled by Griffiths for 9. Will Wyatt and Sevior pushed the score to 82, helped along by extras. The introduction of the experienced Derek Lammonby into the Chagford attack paid dividends as he had Sevior caught in his first over, heralding a huge batting collapse with D&T’s last 9 wickets falling for 39 runs.
Josh Orrall had a short stay at the crease, bowled by Worth for 4 and Wyatt’s grafting innings of 9 was ended by Lammonby. Nobody else reached double figures, other than skipper Harold Stevenson with 12 not out. D&T were grateful for the 32 extras and it seemed 121 might be a decent total, given the state of the pitch and so it was to prove.
James Howrihane struck with his first ball when Whittingham played a rash shot to a widish long hop and Wyatt took a straightforward catch at cover. Spinner Baxendale was soon brought into the attack and wasted no time in getting stuck into the batsmen; he bowled Griffiths for 9, trapped Sampson lbw for 4 had Will Lammonby (10) and Baker (15) caught and then bowled Worth for good measure. Not content with this he deflected a very hard drive onto the stumps at the bowlers end, running out Simon Snell, the non-striking batsman, in the process. Another run out followed before Andy Bligh dismissed Herrington when Howrihane took a marvellous catch over his head and Sevior polished off the last man to give D&T a comfortable victory.