Abbotskerswell II 241 for 9 Dartington & Totnes II 3 for 0. Match abandoned due to rain. Abbotskerswell 11 points, Dartington & Totnes 10 points.
With a gloomy weather forecast an abandoned game was always on the cards and so it proved to be. With several interruptions for showers the match was reduced to 41 overs per side. However after a downpour over the tea interval followed by a further prolonged downpour the teams shook hands.
D&T won the toss and put League leaders Abbotskerswell in to bat. The innings was notable for 5 outstanding catches by D&T.
Abbots obviously thought the result might be decided on net run rate and got off to a rapid start helped by a generous supply of extras. With the score on 39, Steve Mudge (2 for 25), struck in the sixth over bowling Karl Beasant for 17 and then trapping New Zealander Ryan Holmes lbw. Mick Rusling joined the attack and took a one handed catch off his own bowling to despatch Lovell for one and then bowled Lightowlers for a duck to put D&T in the driving seat at 54 for 4. When Joe Burgess entered the attack he immediately surprised opener Morgan with his movement bowling him for 17 and then dismissed Rich when Sam Tanner took a good catch at point. 80 for 6.
Abbots’ number six, Alastair Bartlett, was showing plenty of aggression and found a willing partner in Paul Acton. D&T’s bowling was like the proverbial curate’s egg and other than the parsimonious Mudge the rest of the bowlers went for around seven runs per over. They were unable to dislodge the pair who added 82 for the seventh wicket and in doing so took the game away from D&T. Bartlett batted very well and made 67 with some big hits, before succumbing to a marvellous catch by Jon Perkin at long on off the bowling of Burgess, 3 for 57. After Acton was outstandingly caught one-handed on the long on boundary by Gavin Colegate for 42, off Tom Petherick’s bowling, the tail wagged very effectively with Josh Morgan scoring 37 before a back-peddling Joe Burgess took a high swirling catch off a delivery from Colegate. D&T narrowly missed taking all ten wickets with a close call on a run out off the ultimate delivery.