If matchday one of the Tolchards Devon Cricket League was one of TRIPLE TRIUMPH (all three XIs won their respective matches) then matchday two provided another ‘hat-trick’, but not the kind enjoyed seven days earlier as all three of the Bradninch & Kentisbeare XIs suffered defeat.
The 1st XI bowled out visiting Cornwood for just 192 in 44.3 overs but then slipped to 20-6 after seven overs before ultimately being bowled out for 98 in 23 overs and one ball and sliding to a hugely disappointing 94 run defeat. There were some positives for the team who were missing skipper Gary Chappell, Josh Farley and the injured Ross Acton for all five of the bowlers claimed at least a single wicket. Indeed, four of the bowlers – Andrew Buzza, Jonathan Truner, Mitch Pugh and Dan Hardy each bagged a brace of wickets with the Triner return being the pick of them with his 2-21 from seven overs. Teenager Triner also had the best figures in terms of economy with 3.00 runs conceded per over bowled. There was no such collective joy in terms of the home batting effort, save for the exploits of opener Mitch Pugh who scored an eight boundary 51-ball 46. In stark contrast to the Pugh shift with the bat, the team did have no fewer than four ‘ducks’ – Tim Piper, Dan Hardy, Yuvraj Singh and Andrew Buzza all departing without troubling the scorers! Stand-in skipper Eliot Acton and Darren Paul were the ‘best of the rest’ behind Pugh, both contributing 14 runs, but that total was also beaten by ‘extras’ which saw NinchBeare given 15 runs! The other batters were: Justin Wubbeling (7), Will Squire (2), Jon Triner (1) and Connor Carthew (0 not out).
The Bradninch & Kentisbeare 2nd XI were beaten by three wickets in their ‘local derby’ with Clyst Hydon. Ten-player NinchBeare were invited to bat first and they were bowled out for 156 in 34.3 overs with number five bat Scott Chappell hitting an unbeaten 34, scored off 75 balls faced. Special mention must be made of the batting contribution of Eliza Heard who scored an 18-ball seven and helped Chappell add an important 34 for the eighth wicket – that proved to be the second best partnership of the innings, bettered only by the 49 added for the third wicket by Sam Franks (29 from 36 balls faced) and Billy Wakeley (24 from 28). The other batting scores were: Ankit Badval (8), James Mills (7), Sevie Hurrell (2), Richard Norman (0), Steve Marsh (0) and skipper Will Greig who hit 10. When Whimple batted they got off to a flyer and were cruising at 80-1 when a fine catch held by James Mills gave Billy Wakeley a wicket. Six more wickets were claimed, but it was not sufficient to stop a successful run chase as Whimple got home with three wickets to spare on 159 in two balls shy of 36 overs. The NinchBeare cause was not aided by some 38 – yes thirty-eight – wides!
In terms of the bowling effort, the best of the returns was the 2-20 from the four overs sent down by Billy Wakeley. Eliza Heard bowled well – here eight overs went for 30 runs and she picked up a wicket thanks to wicket keeper Scott Chappell who pouched three catches. Ankit Badwal sent down nine overs for his 1-48 return while Sam Franks (1-36 from seven), James Mills (1-16 from seven overs) and skipper Will Greig (1-4 from four balls), completed the bowling effort.
Like the 2nd XI, the The Bradninch & Kentisbeare 3rd XI also fielded a side with just 10 players and they were well beaten, going down by nine wickets to a strong Devon Medics and Cranbrook team. B&K batted first and were skittled out for 92 in one ball shy of 29 overs. Leading from the front and very much by example, skipper Liam Reed top scored from the number eight slot with a 38-ball six boundary 44 – the skipper hitting five fours and one six! The ‘best of the rest’ was the 48-ball 16 scored by opener Tim Percival. The rest of the B&K batting scores were: Lewis Coombes (6), Alan Rodgers (5 not out), Josh Richards (5), Bobby Marsh (4), George Holding (2), Rory Dennis (1), Joe Mcqueenie (0) and Oliver Percival (0). The home side raced to a nine-wicket win, closing out the contest on 95-1 with two balls of the 14th over still to be bowled. As for the lone success in terms of the B&K bowling it was Captain Fantastic Liam Reed who claimed the wicket thanks to a catch held by Alan Rodgers. The skipper’s return was 1-29 from five overs. Josh Richards, who opened the bowling with Reed, was the most economic of the bowlers, his return being 0-16 from three. The two others to bowl were Rory Dennis (0-29 from four) and Lewis Coombes (0-21 from 1.4 overs).