Threes step up to twos in comprehensive win.

Dartington & Totnes II 249 for 8, Shaldon Optimists II 135 all out

D&T (20 points) beat Shaldon (7 points) by 114 runs.

A chronic player shortage resulted in the third team match being cancelled but seven of them played in the twos.

A second wicket stand of 179 between Gavin Colegate and Will Wyatt put D&T in a commanding position setting up a platform for a comfortable victory. Following this Tyler Walton snaffled 4 for 17 to put Shaldon in disarray.

After fielding five Colegates in their previous League match D&T were down to the bare minimum of one in this game.   Fortunately, skipper Gavin Colegate was in sparkling form.   Chris Roud was bowled by the pacey Swift in the first over, which might have vindicated Shaldon skipper Greenwood’s decision to insert D&T had not Colegate and Wyatt then batted together for 36 more overs.

The Shaldon fielders were in a generous mood putting down several straightforward chances and with Colegate unhurriedly strolling between the wicket it seemed there might have been some sort of gentleman’s agreement between the captains before the match.  Colegate and Wyatt were enjoying themselves and it seemed both might score centuries before both were trapped lbw by Preston in the same over -Wyatt for 72 off 133 deliveries and Colegate for 74 off 93 balls.

Kevan Throgmorton and Gareth Havard then showed plenty of aggressive intent.  Throgmorton hit three boundaries off the first three deliveries he faced from Preston, before injuring his knee and batting on with Colegate as his runner, the irony of this not being missed by his team mates.  Throgmorton hit 28 off just 19 deliveries including the only six of the match.  He and Havard (22) both perished in the quest for quick runs.  Their dismissals heralded some kamikaze batting from the home side, indeed, the last five wickets fell for just eleven runs, albeit in the final three overs.

250 to win was always going to be a big ask for Shaldon.  D&T’s opening bowlers Havard and Josh O’Hare kept things tight and O’Hare got the first breakthrough, trapping Humphries lbw for 4.  After 10 overs Alex Carter and Chris O’Hare joined the attack.   O’Hare soon had opener Doyle caught for 7.  Jameson and Preston rallied Shaldon, putting on 50 for the third wicket and frequently finding the boundary before O’Hare(2 for 39)  trapped Jameson lbw for 17, Preston fell shortly afterwards, bowled by Carter(1 for 37) for 24.  Skipper Greenwood was soon helping himself to boundaries but was disastrously run out for 25.   Following this no other Shaldon batsman reached double figures as they were bundled out for 135 with the last 8 wickets falling for just 57 runs.

 

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