Dartington & Totnes 2nd XI 281 for 4, Yelverton Bohemians 2nd XI 236 for 8
Dartington & Totnes (19 points) beat Yelverton (7 points) by 45 runs.
There was controversy before the game had even started as the umpires failed to agree on the rules. The Yelverton umpire brandished a piece of paper with the proposed rule changes which the League never adopted including free hits, 2 runs for a wide etc. In addition the pitch had fielding circles marked which second elevens have never used. Our esteemed umpire,Darren Colegate, man of principle, threatened to go on strike. Fortunately, diplomacy won the day and the match commenced on yet another glorious summer’s day.
It was good to finally win a match, with the result heavily influenced by our contingent of four Colegates, in addition to Daz, who contributed a total of 186 runs and three wickets. Particularly outstanding was Scott who blasted 95 not out from 46 deliveries with a marvellous display of clean hitting.
Gavin had no hesitation in opting to bat first on a wonderful batting track and opened the batting with Neil. The pair got the innings off to a solid start putting on 48 for the first wicket in ten overs. Gavin had scored 26 when he hit a full- blooded drive back at bowler Ben Evans, who took a fine catch. Kombi, making a comeback after injury and still with restricted movement, consolidated with Neil. At the mid- point of the innings, after 20 overs, we were on 86 and needing to accelerate if we were to make a competitive total. Kombi and Neil added 89 for the second wicket in 16 overs before Kombi (32) hit McEleny straight to Evans on the backward square leg boundary.
Neil battled hard and became more fluid as his innings progressed, hitting some sweet boundaries. He was finally bowled by Stevenson for a solid 65 with the score on 197 and 8 overs remaining. Scott showed what a fine player he is and was soon hitting the ball cleanly, reaching his fifty off 31 deliveries with consecutive sixes. This was just a taster of what was to follow as he scored another 45 runs off just 14 deliveries including three more huge sixes. With 2.4 overs to go Yelverton had a bowler taken out of the attack after bowling his second no ball. The remaining 4 balls were bowled by Madi Bond who conceded just 2 runs. However, Scott hit four fours and 2 sixes off her next over as we finished on a commanding 281- not many of us remembered a higher score.
Scott and keeper, PT had put on a unbeaten 84 runs, with PT contributing just 7 of these and his elbow went again, but he did the important job of getting Scott on strike at every opportunity.
To win the match Yelverton needed to score at 7 an over and were quickly out of the blocks, in reply. Scott followed up his batting heroics by opening the bowling with a 4 over spell. A rule change this season requires any bowler, irrespective of pace, to be taken out of the attack if they bowl two no balls over waist height. Scott had fallen foul of this rule in his previous match. In this game he started his spell with a no ball and received an instant warning from brother, Darren. However, he had Smith caught behind by Tayor for 10 with his fourth delivery.
Bond and Warren were scoring too freely for D&T’s comfort and briefly got ahead of the required rate- 58 off the first 7 overs. However, Wyatt, bowling of a shortened run up bowled Warren for 28 and then balled new man, King, in the same over. Opener Bond looked a class player and but was dismissed for 20 after driving the ball back hard at Mick who took a reflex catch off his own bowling, surprising both himself and his team mates. After eleven overs Yelverton were 69 for 4 with D&T firmly in the driving seat. We were unable to drive home this advantage as Sam Betts and skipper Chris Vinson added 129 for the fifth wicket, though the required run rate climbed steadily.
Scott came back for a second spell which lasted less than 2 overs as he bowled a second no ball and umpire Daz felt duty bound to remove him from the attack. Gavin completed the over and had a good spell, bowling Betts for 60 leaving Yelverton needing 85 with 5 overs remaining. Joe Parker (2 for 35), producing a lot of swing, bowled an exhausted Vinson for 60 and Evans for 1 and Gavin (2 for 43) picked up another scalp when Parker made good ground to catch McEleny as Yelverton fell 45 runs short.