Madawa Warnapura served up one of the finest ‘debut’ Devon League knocks, scoring a maiden century for the club at Kensham Park as he and Dan Hardy put on a superb 192 runs for the third wicket in the Tolchards Devon League Premier Division matchday ten fixture at home to Plympton.
Indeed, it all ended with both Warnapura and Hardy scoring centuries as B&K racked up a massive 417-5 in 50 overs and then Plympton were bowled out for 99 in one ball shy of 22 overs for B&K to record a whopping 318 run win!
‘Bandu’ as the Sri Lankan is now more affectionately known reached his century when he drilled his eighth four to the boundary – his century coming up from just 84 balls in 97 minutes – and he also scored five sixes!
He had brought up his half century with a six, one of three consecutive sixes he slammed in the 35th over. His 50 came from 59 balls.
Earlier, after skipper Gary Chappell had won the toss and opted to bat first, openers Mitch Pugh (31 from 45) and Tim Piper, with a run-a-ball 38, both fell with the home score on 84. That all meant that Dan Hardy, in at three, was quickly joined by Bandu and the pair brought up a century partnership for the then unbroken third wicket, scoring the runs in good time too – the century partnership coming up off the first ball of the 34th over and the milestone was reached with Bandu’s first six.
Like Bandu, Hardy also reached his fifty with a six, rifling the final ball of the 37th over into the adjacent field to leave the side on a commanding total of 229-2, still with 13 overs to be faced!
Such was the dominance the home batting duo enjoyed that they were able to add 70 runs in just 36 deliveries between the 32nd and the 38th overs!
Hardy despatched the sixth delivery of the 38th over to the boundary, this shot bringing up the pairs 150 partnership – this being reached in just 24 overs!
Maximum batting points were reached in the 39th over, one that yielded no fewer than 24 runs – and, at the end of the 39th over, Bandu sat on 98, scored from just 79 deliveries – hitting seven fours and five sixes.
His century arrived in the very next over when he drilled his eight four to the boundary – his century coming up from just 84 balls in 97 minutes – and he also scored five sixes!
A dozen runs came off the 41st over, at the end of which, the score was 276-2 and the partnership now a whopping 192 for the unbroken third wicket.
However, the wonderful partnership was ended to the first delivery of the 42nd over with Bandu falling to a catch and trooping back to a standing ovation having scored 104 from 87 deliveries during a 103-minute stay at the crease.
Justin Wubbeling took over and it was not long before the 300 was chalked up with Dan Hardy taking his personal contribution into three figures.
Indeed, Hardy went on to register a knock of 134, scored off 99 deliveries in a stay at the wicket of 129 minutes. The Hardy ton included 14 fours and eight sixes.
Justin Wubbleing enjoyed himself, hitting a 21-ball unbeaten 46 with fours and three sixes while Theo Lamey hit a quick-fire eight-ball 13 with one towering six and John Triner also slammed a maximum in his unbeaten three-ball eight as B&K closed their 50 overs on 417-5.
Elliott Hamilton (1-51), Craig Donohue (1-85), Gurya Suresh (1-66) and Oliver Goulder (2-22), were the visiting wicket takers.
Faced with such a mammoth task, Plympton lost wickets at regular intervals. Number five bat Alex Carr provided the best of the contributions, hitting a seven boundary 31-ball 37, but his team mates could only accumulate 57 runs between them as their side were ultimately bowled out for 99 in 21 overs and five balls.
B&K skipper Gary Chappell shuffled his bowlers around and all five he called into duty claimed two wickets!
The pick of the returns was the 2-4 from the one over and five balls sent down by Josh Farley. The other returns were: Ross Acton (2-14 from six), Mitch Pugh (2-24 from five), Jon Triner (2-28 from four) and young Joe Gillett (2-29 from five).