TAVISTOCK Cricket Club's Second XI hoping to emulate the feat of the Senior Side in gaining promotion in the Devon League, fell short of their objective by just a few points. Skipper Geoff Crudgington expressed disappointment at this outcome, but at the same time he had praise for some of the performances, picking out Bobby Luscombe as a young player with great spirit and great potential.

The chief problem facing the team is that both run-scoring and wicket-taking performances have been dominated by the more seasoned players. It is significant, for example, that Mike Crocker, Stuart Munday and John Rich between them bowled 60% of the overs and took 70% of the wickets.

Next season's task will surely be to redress the balance in the side between youth and experience.

Season's Averages Batting:

Name Innings N/O H/Score Runs Av

M Craze 10 4 43* 236 39.3

G Crudgington 12 1 116* 427 38.8

D Jeffery 17 4 110* 460 35.4

B Luscombe 11 3 61 252 31.5

P Tomkies 6 0 65 185 30.8

C Johns 15 0 83 352 23.5

Bowling:

Name Overs Maidens Runs Wkts AvS Munday 124 46 236 24 9.8

M Crocker 147 32 388 32 12.1

S Nicholson 33 11 58 4 14.5

O Hicks 38 15 105 7 15.0

J Rich 104 19 369 22 16.8

The curtain comes down on the 2000 season at the Ring on Sunday with the annual President's Day Match.

Festivities will begin at noon. The club's First Xl will face a formidable side brought together by its long-serving and popular president, Clifford Alford.

It includes four Plympton players who have represented Devon, Keith Donohue, Andy Walter, Richard Goldring and Jeremy Williams, along with Mike Cherry from Plymstock and David Burke from Plymouth.

John Gosling and Eddie Hulme, former Tavistock players and three present club players, Andrew Alford, Maurice Craze and Dave Jeffery complete the side. The game promises to be both enjoyable and competitive and given fair weather, the day promises to be a suitable finale to a season of real achievement for the club.