Bradninch & Kentisbeare enjoyed a resounding 121-run win when they entertained Abbotskerswell in a pre-season game at Kensham Park on the final Saturday of April.
Just seven days before the start of the Devon League Premier Division 2024 opener at Plympton, B&K were in fine form with both bat and ball to despatch the visiting Abbots in some style.
Batting first in what was a 30-over per side fixture B&K raced to 247-3 led there by no fewer than three unbeaten half centuries.
The ‘fastest’ of the three 50s was the 30-ball 55 hit by Jonathan Triner who slammed five sixes and two fours in his cameo from the number five berth. Triner, new to the club this season, was the third of the ‘retired unbeaten’ 50 plus scorers.
Opener Mitch Pugh was the first to the ‘milestone’ with his 54 ‘retired’ coming from 45 balls and he rifled seven fours and two sixes while the third half centurion also faced 45 balls and he too hit seven fours with a single six as he ‘retired’ on 53.
Another of the ‘new faces’ this season at Kensham Park is Justin Wubbeling and he faced just 33 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes, before he was run out for what was another impressive first ‘home knock’ of 43
Of the wickets lost, Tim Piper was first to go, caught for one run off the 11th delivery he faced. Andrew Buzza scored a run-a-ball 13 before he fell while the not out batsmen at the close of the innings were Darren Paul and Eliot Acton on three and seven respectively.
The ‘did not bat’ players for the home side were skipper Gary Chappell, Liam Reed, Ross Lawson and Ankit Badval.
The visiting side used seven different bowlers with the ‘pick’ of the returns being the 1-17 from five from opening seamer Liam Hurse while the only other bowler to enjoy any success was fifth change V Patel with a return of 1-27 from three overs.
When Abbotskerswell began their innings they also suffered an early loss with opener Ed Smout Cooper being caught by home skipper Gary Chappell to give Mitch Pugh a wicket, the batter out for an 11-ball six. There was then a 57-run partnership put together before a Darren Paul catch gave Chappell his first home wicket of the new term; the Abbots number two bat sent back for 28, scored off 45 balls.
From 68-2 it quickly became 77-4 with a Darren Paul stumping giving Eliot Acton a wicket and then Dan Hardy held a catch off Andrew Buzza.
Just a dozen more runs were added before Abbots’ skipper Nick Watkins was dismissed, a second catch for Dan Hardy giving Eliot Acton a second wicket.
A Gary Chappell catch gave Jon Triner his first Kensham Park wicket to leave the reply on 94-6 and then there was a brief ‘rally’ as the seventh wicket added 28 before an Andrew Buzza catch gave Ankit Badwal a wicket and the eighth and final wicket was snared by Liam Reed as the bowler and Andrew Buzza displaying ‘safe hands’ for the second time in the game.
Just four more runs were added to leave the Abbots reply on 126-8 after their 30 overs with B&K sealing an emphatic win.
The home bowling returns were: Mitch Pugh (-17 from four), Jon Triner (1-27 from five), Ankit Badwal (1-20 from five), Gary Chappell (1-19 from five), Andrew Buzza (1-13 from four), Eliot Acton (2-12 from three) and Liam Reed (1-19 from four).
