What a difference a week can make!
Skipper Ryan Stevenson starred for the ones as they rattled up 300. Raz then took 7 wickets and Jono three as Plymouth CS were bundled out.
The 2s also had a big win skittling Cornwood for 105 and winning by 6 wickets. Gareth got fivefor to go with his fourfor last week.
Threes only raised 11 by drafting in the injured Cliff at the last minute on Saturday morning after losing top batsman Olly Payne to the 2s. Steve Mackinlay and Jack Allen starred with several youngsters contributing well. Mark Andrews’ Son, Chris debuted and did well.
Thirds report below:
Yelverton III 186 all out, Dartington & Totnes III 187 for 7
D&T (20 points) beat Yelverton (7 points) by 3 wickets.
Dartington and Totnes’ third XI came out on top in a thrilling encounter at Yelverton with an excellent team performance. Chasing 187, Paul Taylor with 28 and Steve Mackinlay with 52 had put D&T into a good position but when the seventh wicket went down 45 runs were still needed before Jack Allen saw D&T home with a fine innings of 31 not out.
D&T won the toss for the seventh successive match and asked Yelverton to bat. Alex Hartridge and Jack Allen were both bowling very well and it was big blow when Allen suffered a foot injury in his third over and had to come off. Mackinlay replaced him and soon produced a short delivery which Spear (11) top edged to Allen, who hobbled painfully to take the catch at mid wicket. Mick Rusling joined his old sparring partner Mackinlay in the attack and struck with a rank full toss which opener Hughes was horrified to strike straight to Mackinlay at mid-wicket. He produced a much better delivery, bowling Jon Smith(18) with a fine inswinger and when Mackinlay bowled Casey for 1, Yelverton were 59 for 4, with D&T in the ascendancy.
D&T werebowling too many loose deliveries and as Yelverton skipper Paul Farnham took advantage the game slip away from D&T. Farnham was quick to come down the pitch to Tyler Walton’s off spin, however, Walton bowled with maturity, didn’t panic and soon adjusted his length. He was rewarded when keeper Taylor caught Payne for 15. Hutchins led a charmed life before being lofting a gentle catch to Rusling at square leg, off Walton (2 for 36). It was a bonus when Allen was able to resume off a shortened run up and he did well in slowing down the run rate and bowling Dan Farnham for 4. Dan Farnham’s dad was proving harder to dislodge and it seemed likely Yelverton would reach 200. Alex Hartridge (2 for 30) was brought back into the attack and bowling with good pace, trapped Ben Spear lbw for a duck. Rusling (3 for 30) came back at the other end to have Hutchings well caught by Josh Orrall at mid-wicket for 23 and then Hartridge took a marvellous one-handed reflex catch off his own bowling to dismiss Casey and end the innings, with Farnham undefeated on 69.
Darren Colegate and Paul Taylor opened the batting for D&T and Taylor was soon off-cutting boundaries. Colegate showed aggressive intent hitting a shot straight to Brian Spear at mid-on but the chance was spilled. 31 runs were on the board before Colegate was trapped lbw by Casey for 5. Mackinlay joined his old mate Taylor and the pair were soon having fun. Mackinlay was in great form and was soon plundering boundaries. The pair put on 55 for the second wicket, putting D&T into a strong position in the process. It seemed likely that for D&T to win one of these two would need to bat through the innings. Taylor hit 6 fours before smashing spinner Spear to the square leg boundary. The ball appeared to be going for six until Payne leaped to take a marvellous catch dismissing Taylor for 28 –the first time he had been dismissed by his own making in 5 innings.
Chris Raud struggled against Spear’s spin and it was no surpise when he was bowled for 1. Mackinlay carried on serenely and had hit 7 fours and a six before bringing up his fifty with a straight driven six off Dan Farnham. However, Farnham’s next delivery was a beauty and Mackinlay was bowled. 99 for 4 with 24 overs remaining. D&T’s inexperienced middle order batted pluckily. Josh Orrall made 11, and Chris Andrews made 12 on debut. Hartridge looked in fine nick and straight drove Spear (3 for 38) for 6 before being caught at slip off the same bowler for 9.
Rusling joined Allen at 142 for 7. Allen showed his intent, getting off the mark with a six and later hitting another six and three fours. Although skipper Rusling was soon off the mark with a four, his main contribution was to avoid being dismissed, leaving Allen to score the lion’s share of the runs. The tactic worked a treat as Allen got D&T came home with 3 overs to spare.