Here’s a report from the first match of the 2009 season

First XI Cricket

Feniton 207 for 9 Dartington & Totnes 113.  Feniton won by 94 runs

D&T’s league season opened in glorious sunshine- though not with the result they were hoping for at Feniton on Saturday.  Dropped catches in the field and injudicious shot selection by the top order batsmen didn’t help their cause.

Skipper Harold Stevenson won the toss and put Feniton in.  Opening bowlers Matt Hickey and Ian Bransdon worked up a good pace but Feniton’s openers saw them off without too much discomfort.  The game swung with the introduction of Scott Stevenson and Mick Rusling into the attack. Stevenson struck first when Joe Hockings  picked up the first of two good catches. Rusling (2 for 22) picked up two wickets in successive overs.  The pitch suited Rusling’s pace-or lack of it- with his first eight overs yielding only 4 runs.  Stevenson picked up a couple more wickets and by the halfway stage Feniton were struggling on 62 for 5.

Kingdon was proving hard to shift and hit several sixes off good length deliveries.  The hundred came up with six wickets down as Stevenson picked up another wicket.  The game slipped from D&T in the last 15 overs which yielded Feniton 100 runs. Kingdon was supported by several cameo innings from team mates before number nine batsman, Chris Rose, got stuck into D&Ts bowlers chancing his arm to great effect. Ryan Stevenson was unlucky when two catches were dropped off his bowling in the same over.  Kingdon finally went for 78 when Matt Hickey (1 for 32) surprised him with a fast full toss.  Skipper Stevenson rotated his bowlers but Rose continued to plunder runs and finished on 48 not out.  Scott Stevenson was the top bowler with 5 for 57.

Mike Jarvis and Scott Stevenson opened the batting and looked completely at ease until Jarvis, looking to cut a widish delivery from Rose, hit it into the grateful hands of Selley at point.  The batsmen looked to accelerate the scoring unnecessarily.  Stevenson and Hickey both looked in splendid touch but Stevenson (10) was caught at mid on at ankle height off Rose, Ryan Stevenson was bowled, and then Hickey played on for 12. Rose had four victims with only 30 runs on the board as D&T went into self-destruct mode.

Bransdon, claiming to be worn out from his bowling stint, helped to consolidate the innings gleefully knocking the ball around.  One of his sixes made a dent in an unwisely parked car.  Whilst Bransdon remained at the crease D&T had cause for optimism with Steve Rew proving to be a good foil at the other end.

However, Bransdon was bowled by Selley for 37.   Rew was lbw for 8 when the umpire, making Steve Buckner look positively speedy, finally raised his finger after lengthy deliberation.  Harold Stevenson was given out lbw without the ball striking him, demonstrating that neutral umpires are not infallible and showing the value of full-blooded appealing.  It seemed that 100 was out of D&T’s reach until Joe Hockings struck several lusty blows before being last man out for 18.