Devon Cricket League Div A Tavistock v Bradninch TAVISTOCK came off second best in a top of the table clash at rain-soaked Kensham Park on Saturday. Tavistock won the toss and asked Brandinch to bat with the threat of rain in the air. Opening pair Chris Acton and Gary Chappell put on 61 for the first wicket, young Chappell being smartly caught by Dave Downham at point off Steve Nicholson. Arnie Searle pulled up with a hamstring strain and this had a marked affect on the result. Worse was to come for Tavistock as Acton and new boy Tim Piper took the score to 190 before the players went off for rain. They had played in light drizzle for a dozen overs and as the ball got wet the Bradninch pair took full advantage, dispatching the ball regularly to the fence. When play resumed the innings had been reduced to 44 overs of which six remained. Tavistock fared better in this final frenetic session, picking up five wickets while 33 runs were scored. Andy Gauler was the main beneficiary, having Acton smartly stumped by Dave Manning for 77 and Piper caught by a static Searle for 55. When he trapped John Webb lbw he finished with figures of 3 for 42 from 13 overs, easily the best bowling of the day for Tavistock Kevin Willcock had Australian John Cheadle lbw and Phil Nott was run out in the last over, taking a chance on Steve Luffman?s throwing arm from the boundary. So Bradninch finished on 223-6 from their 44 overs. Searle opened the batting with Chris Cashell, but was forced to use Gauler as a runner and almost inevitably this led to a mix up with Searle being run out for 12. Cashell had already fallen for a good seamy delivery from Bradninch skipper Joel Murphy. Kevin Willcock followed two runs later for 16, all in boundaries, and when Manning fell lbw to Murphy for one Tavistock were 45 for 4 and in real trouble. Steve Luffman and Colin Mortimore tried to stabilise the innings. Their natural attacking tendencies came to the fore and the ball started finding the fence. Mortimore added 97, Luffman was out caught behind for 56 including 11 fours, playing loosely at a wide ball from Joel Murphy. Andile Qomoyi followed first ball, hitting a full toss to mid-off to bring Andy Kaitiff to the wicket. Tavistock?s dominance this season has been such that Kaitiff had not batted in the league until this moment, but he responded well, He made 14 with two fours before being bowled by Russ Acton. Five runs later Acton bowled Mortimore via bat and pad for 47 and Tavistock were 189-8. Dave Downham followed without adding to the score so Andy Gauler joined skipper Steve Nicholson and set about scoring the 34 runs needed. Both played carefully and Bradninch made excellent saves in the field as they inched nearer the target. Eventually just as the Tavistock players were starting to think it could happen Acton sneaked one through Nicholson?s defence, again via inside edge and pad to bowl him, claiming five wickets, and win the match. Bradninch claimed 20 points and Tavistock returned home with 8 points, but remain 22 points clear of Bradninch at the top of the table. This week Tavistock travel to Plymstock.