DCL 1st XI 'D' Division

Yelverton 1st XI v Babbacombe CC

NEW skipper Jez Stokes won an important toss and asked Babbacombe to bat on a well-prepared but typical early season track. The experienced opening bowlers applied early pressure, with Terry Stevens making the break-through with a superb catch at point by Ian Loze.

Debutant 19 year-old Iain Cunningham bowled a stinging intelligent spell (7-16-2) backed by the ever-reliable guile of the experienced Geoff Brain (9-29-2). The Babbacombe batsmen batted patiently but it was Jez Stokes' accurate, penetrating spell (7-15-3) that removed the heart of the line-up. Yelverton put up a superb display of ground fielding and catching to back the bowling.  Babbacombe reached 142-9 off their 46 overs, with S Cocker top scoring with 29.

In the conditions, anything approaching 150 would need careful negotiation and the Babbacombe early attack was tight and threatening. M Thompson bowled extremely well (8-17-3) and put the Yelverton top order to the test. At 59-4 off 19 overs, Babbacombe felt they were back in the game but the maturity of Yelverton's 18 year-old rising star, Paul James, and the experience of Geoff Brain, once again, took the Bohemians to their target in the 39th over. Paul reached his 50 with the winning hit, to continue his superb pre-season form.

This was a solid start by the Bohemians, with their blend of experience and young talent. It was well umpired by N Blair and K Inch and both teams played with discipline and good conduct. Man of the match was Paul James.

Next week Yelverton 1st XI make the short away trip to Lewdown.

DCL 2nd XI 'B' Division 

Yelverton 2nd XI v Abbotskerswell CC

NEW skipper Dave Scott lost the toss and Yelverton were asked to bat first on a typical early season wicket – low and very slow.

 

The slowness of the pitch coupled with some over ambitious shot selection saw Yelverton slump to 23 – 4 by the 14th over with their top four batsmen come and gone. Debutante Tim Berry (47), first with another new boy, Chris Davies (7) and then Matt Tamsett (30) got the score up to a more respectable 117 – 5 after 34 overs, but the loss of both Berry for a well complied 47 and Tamsett for 30 put the brakes on.  Jerry Warland (17 n/o) tried his best to get the score up to a defendable total but ran out of partners and the last wicket fell on 139 after 43 overs.

Abbotskerswell's reply started slowly, with opening bowlers Tamsett (6-1-19-0) finding prodigious swing and Chris Pearson (9-5-12-1) keeping a tight line and length in their opening spells.  Pearson broke the first wicket partnership with the score on 11.  Tamsett was replaced by Davies who sent down 3 overs for 11 runs and Taylor replaced Pearson from the other end.  Taylor (10-1-23-1) wheeled away from one end with his slow left-arm but it was the introduction of Adrian Hood that made further inroads into the Abbotskersell batting line-up with a miserly spell of 6-2-19-3. 

At the half way stage Abbotskerwell had crawled to 63 – 4 off 25 overs.  Warland replaced Hood and bowling in Tandem with Taylor kept it tight and after 40 overs Abbotskerswell had reached 100 – 6.  Pearson (13.5-6-31-2) and Tamsett (9-2-34-0) were recalled to the attack but two opportunities of catches in the deep were missed and Abbotskerswell scraped home on 143-7 off 47.5 overs. 

Man of the match was Tim Berry.

Next week Yelverton 2nd XI entertain Tavistock, 2pm start at Langton Park. 

Tamar League 'A' Section

Yelverton 3rd XI v Lifton CC

Yelverton 3rd's travelled with only 9 men on Saturday and went down to a heavy defeat losing by 10 wickets to Lifton CC.