Yelverton v Alphington

YELVERTON SECONDS made it a hat-trick of consecutive maximum point victories with a 40 run win over visitors Alphington Seconds.

Yelverton made first use of a good looking batting track and openers Jason Degg and Andy Taylor got the innings off to a 32 run start before Taylor was bowled by Hathaway.  Degg fell the same way playing-on off the same bowler for 23 with the score on 43.  The third wicket pair of Paul Farnham and Gerry Keen put on 83 with both players punishing anything slightly off line or length.  Keen fell one short of a half century chopping a catch to gully with the score on 126. 

Gul Khan joined Farnham in the middle and the pair put on a quick-fire 65 run partnership for the fourth wicket to take the Bohemians towards a healthy total, before Khan was caught at wide long-on for 24 with the score on 191.  U15 Academy player Dan Cooper joined Farnham and the pair took the Bohemians to their fifth batting point before Cooper was run-out off the penultimate ball of the innings.  Farnham went for a slog off the final delivery and was bowled for a fine 85.  The total of 228-6 was competitive, but 20 runs shy of their mid-innings target of 250.

Early into their reply Alphington lost skipper Barnes with the score on five hitting a leg stump full toss from Geraint Heath into the hands of Degg at mid-wicket.  The remaining opener Cousins fell LBW to the evergreen Tony Carter with the score on 19.  T Murrey and F Hussain set about rebuilding the innings with Hussain in particular being aggressive, hitting a delivery from Terry Roe into the next field.

Roe however had his revenge trapping Hussain LBW for 19 with the score on 72.  Chris Pearson replaced Rowe and induced Rowe to chip a catch to Heath at cover for 13 to leave the score on 106 – 4. 

Murrey, however, was unfazed and continued stoking some well timed straight and cover drives to pass his 50.  The introduction of the slow left arm of Andy Taylor reaped immediate rewards, his first delivery taking the edge of Coe's bat to be caught low down by Farnham at slip and his next delivery, a low full toss outside the off stump was poked straight to Heath at cover by the new batsman Hathaway. 

The hat-trick delivery was safely negotiated by Beasant, but Alphington were left tottering on 108-6. 

Murrey continued to look to dominate and with Beasant looking solid at the other end the pair took Alphington steadily towards the required total, Murrey going to a well played 100 in the process.  The seventh wicket partnership of 74 was finally broken by left armer Matt Tamsett who in the first over of his second spell induced a false stroke from Beasant and was caught behind by keeper Khan for 25. 

Skipper Degg turned to vice-captain Chris Pearson and with the first ball of his new spell bowled centurion Murrey for 109.  Pearson then removed Baxter for a duck in the same over to leave Alphington on 184-9 with 7 overs left to survive.  Tamsett didn't waste any time, wrapping up the win for the Bohemians in his next over, bowling Hull to close out the innings for 188 and seal a 40 run victory and a maximum 20 points for the Bohemians. 

Yelverton Seconds top the B Division table with 70 points from a possible 80 after the first four games.

Next Saturday Yelverton Seconds face Axminster followed by Bideford the following weekend.