The first month of the season has seen the senior XIs contest eight league fixtures and one Devon\ T20 with the nett result of six wins and three defeats.
The 1st XI began the month with an opening league game at Hatherleigh that saw the team make a winning return to Tolchards Devon League top flight action. On the same day the 2nd XI were also making a winning start defeating a Kentisbeare 1st XI side playing a level down from the previous campaign.
Matchday two saw the 1st XI lose a close encounter at home to Cornwood, but there was nothing close about the way the 2nd XI won handsomely at Honiton 1st XI.
Matchday three resulted in a double dose of defeat as the 1st XI went down at Paignton and the 2nd XI were well beaten at home by Woodbury & Newton St Cyres 1st XI.
Mathchday four saw double delight as the 1st XI powered to a superb home success over Sandford while the 2nd XI were winners at Braunton 2nd XI and, just 24 hours later, double delight became a treble dose of success as the 1st XI began the defence of their 2021 Sunbelt Devon T20 Cup crown by brushing aside visiting Budleigh Salterton.
Here’s a break down, game-by-game of the 1st XI in May.
Matchday ONE – Saturday, May 7 – (A) Hatherleigh
The home side batted first and were bowled out for 145 in 49 overs with a ‘fivefer’ from skipper Gary Chappell and a ‘fourfer’ from last years 1st XI skipper, Eliot Acton. Chappell and Ross Acton made short work of speeding the side to an opening day win with Chaps hitting a run-a-ball 52 while Roscoe hit 48.
Matchday TWO – Saturday, May 14 – (H) Cornwood
Batting first, Ninch were bowled out for 184 in 43 overs with contributions from Dan Hardy (43), Eliot Acton (30) and Tim Piper (28). The visitors reached the winning line two balls into the final over with Chaps claiming 2-34 while four bowlers each bagged a single wicket.
Matchday THREE – Saturday, May 21 – (A) Paignton
Defeat in South Devon at the hands of a home side fielding a very talented young Indian batsman. Ninch batted first and were bowled out in the 50th and final over for 171. Ross Acton (75) and Mitch Pugh (53) served up the only batting contributions of note. Indeed such was the pairs dominance of the card that the other nine could not muster a double figure score between them! Then, Divyaansh Saxena then rifled his way to a 73-ball 103 hitting eleven 4s and half-a-dozen sixes top guide Paignton to a seven wicket success inside 26 overs! Gary Chappell (2-41 from seven) and Mitch Pugh (1-60 from five) were the only successful bowlers.
Matchday FOUR – May 28 – (H) Sandford
Facing a possible hat-trick of defeats was unthinkable for ‘Chaps’ and his men, but visiting Sandford, with three former Ninch players in their ranks, were the opposition for the final league game of May. Sandford batted first and posted a very respectable 271-6 with Mitch Pugh (2-53) and Ross Acton (2-67) the successful bowlers. The Kensham Park faithful were then treated to a memorable double century partnership for the opening wicket with Gary Chappell (109) and Tim Piper (115) putting 221 runs on the score board before they were parted. Ross Acton then hit an unbeaten 35 top help seal a wonderful home success.
SUNDAY, May 29, (H) Budleigh Salterton (Devon T20)
The perfect way to end the first month of competitive cricket at Kensham Park saw the Ninch 1st XI pass the first test of their credentials with regard to a successful defence of the Sunbelt Devon T20 crown they won last year. Batting first, Ninch posted a healthy T20 score of 183-8, led there by Tim Piper (73 from 41), Dan Hardy (44 from 38), Chad Classen (17 from 11) and Ross Acton (16 from 16). Craig Penberthy then claimed 4-21 and Josh Farley ended with figures of 3-20 – there was also a wicket each for Classen, Hardy and Eliot Acton.
Here’s a breakdown from the 2nd XI in May
Matchday ONE, Saturday, May 7 (H) Kentisbeare 1st XI
Chris Acton and a ‘new-look’ 2nd XI claimed a six wicket success over Kentisbeare 1st XI who, the season before, were playing one division higher. The Kents batted first and were bowled out for 226 in 43.1 overs. Chris Acton (3-29) and Ankit Badwal (3-58), Paul Nott (2-36) together with wickets from debut playing Sam Franks and Ryan Shrewsberry, did the damage with the ball and then Paul Nott (64), Sam Franks (36no), Will Birley (35), Ankit Badwal (34) and Josh Richards (29) combined to see the side to a six wicket win with almost eight overs still to be bowled.
Matchday TWO, Saturday, May 14 (A) v Honiton 1st XI
Honiton batted first and closed on an imposing 245-7. Chris Acton and Ankit Badwal both had identical figures of 2-26 while there were single wickets for Nick Acton and Ryan Shrewsberry. When Bradninch batted the star of the show was Ankit Badwal who hit a 79-ball unbeaten 120 with 15 fours and five sixes. David Penberthy was unbeaten on 36 when the win was sealed with 10 overs to spare.
Matchday THREE, Saturday, May 21, (H) Woodbury & Newton St Cyres 1st XI
The visitors batted first and closed on 242-6 with the wicket takers for Ninch being; Chris Acton (2-44) and single wickets for James Mills, Charlie Crooke, Paul Nott and Will Birley. Ninch were then bowled out for 119 in 29 overs with the only batting shifts of any real value being from James Mills with 29. Jason Dowrick had the ‘best of the rest’ with 19 and Charlie Crooke hit an unbeaten 18.
Matchday FOUR, Saturday, May 28, (A) Braunton 2nd XI
It was to be a day of 2nd XI record breaking as the side hit their highest league score – certainly this Millennium when they chalked up an impressive 357-7. There were contributions from Sam Franks (92), Ankit Badwal (91), Dave Penberthy (73no) and Will Birley (73). On what was clearly a very good surface to bat on, the home side then closed on 262-8 which left Ninch winners by a margin of 85 runs. Sam Franks (3-52), Ryan Shrewsberry (2-26) were the key wicket takers and there were single wicket successes for Nick Acton, Mark Perrott and skipper Chris Acton.