Dartington and Totnes 1stXI continued their excellent run of form with an away cup and league double over Shaldon Optimists in the space of 48 hours. Last Thursday, they had a comfortable 9-wicket win in the quarter-final of the T20 Aaron Printers Cup and followed up with an equally impressive 6-wicket win in the Devon Cricket league on Saturday.
In the first game, Shaldon elected to bat and were all out in the last over for 137, after an opening stand of 72. Skipper Harry Baxendale and Tyler Walton each took three wickets with Phil Snyman (whose three overs cost only two runs), Jono Colegate and Mick Rusling all chipping in with a wicket. D&T made light work of chasing down the total. Snyman scored 40 at more than a run a ball and, after he was out, Jono Colegate (63) and Baxendale (20) paced the innings superbly and were unbeaten as D&T cruised home with an over to spare. D&T play local rivals Stoke Gabriel in the semi-final at neutral Paignton CC on 26thJune.
Returning to league action on Saturday at a breezy but dry Hazeldown Oval, Harry Baxendale won the toss and asked the home team to bat first. Despite a fierce spell of bowling from a pacy Phil Snyman, the Shaldon openers got off to a good start until, with the score on 30 and going for a quick single, they collided in mid-run, both falling to the ground and a direct throw from Jono Colegate saw Ruben Minnaar run out for 22.
New batsman Will Moore and opener Karl Blackburn took the score to 91 before Moore was bowled by Harry Baxendale for a patient 9. With the score on 107, Blackburn followed when he was out for 51, caught by keeper Tom Chevallier off the bowling of Jono Colegate whose nine overs cost a miserly 19 runs.
A 40-run partnership between Dan Woolnough and Richard Fisher ended with the score of 147 with Fisher caught behind for 18, giving Andy Bligh a wicket and at 147-4, Shaldon seemed set to post a challenging score for the league leaders. However, the introduction of slow bowler Chris Cook into the bowling attack change the course of the game.
Bowling Fisher for 37, he took the last six wickets for only 27 runs, using the breeze to get drift on a pitch which did not offer much spin. Joe Wilcox was bowled for a second-ball duck, Carl Woolnough skied the ball to Gavin Colegate at mid-wicket with his score on 5, Lewis Jeffery was caught by the other Colegate for 4, Ross Abraham was bowled for 5 and the last wicket fell when Baxendale caught Robbie Hall for a duck. Will Greenwood was not out on 6 as Shaldon slumped from 147-3 to 177 all out.
D&T’s reply started well until Snyman was bowled for 11 by Carl Woonough with the score on 16. Chris Cook and new batsman Baxendale batted steadily and comfortably until, with the score on 46, Baxendale was adjudged to have been LBW to Ross Abraham for 16. Cook was joined by the in-from Jono Colegate and they took the score to 107 before Cook, who had batted very calmly, was bowled by Ruben Minnaar for 34.
Colegate and Josh Orrell, promoted back to the first team after his century for the 2ndXI two weeks ago, added another 40, with Orrell particularly strong off the back foot before he was caught for 24 by Carl Blackburn to give Minnaar his second wicket in a slightly erratic spell. Colegate and new batsman Chevallier saw D&T home, Colegate getting his fifty just before the end and remaining not out on 52 with Chevallier on 8.
It had been a very measured and impressive batting performance, chasing the largest total the side have faced so far this season. Credit for the win goes to the whole side, and while Chris Cook was the man of the match, mention must be made of Phil Snyman’s superb bowling, his nine hostile overs only conceding 13 runs, and Jono Colegate’s contributions with both bat and ball. Shaldon were the toughest team D&T have faced so far this season, and the ease with which they were brushed aside in both matches suggests D&T will go into their next game against second-place Ashburton at Foxhole on Saturday with confidence.