THREE outright wins in a row notched by Tavistock's 1st XI have provided the club's players and supporters with a new spring in the step and fresh optimism of a highly respectable league placing for the rest of the season. They currently stand at fourth in the table, having nestled in the relegation zone not long ago.

Having been asked to bat first at the Ring on Saturday. Exeter St James opened with a solid, but slow, partnership of 41 aided by a generous contribution of wides and no-balls. But with the fall of the first wicket in the 16th over, the visitor's scoring rate fell further behind as wickets began to tumble steadily against the pace of Matthew Smith (4 for 41 off 13 overs), bowling in tandem with Simon Crawford who, from 9 overs, took 3 for 22.

After an opening spell at the start of the innings, yielding just 9 runs off 42 deliveries, Kelly College student, South African Tshepo Legodi, was recalled for a couple of overs and accounted for two late wickets with his quick left-arm seamers.

The St James total of 113 looked more formidable than might have been expected with three of Tavistock's top order batsmen back in the pavilion with only 21 runs scored. Fortunately, the in-form Steve Luffman was not one of them and his timely innings of 49 together with a fine knock of 31 by John McGahey and another by the talented Tshepo Legodi (30 not out) saw Tavistock win quite comfortably by 5 wickets with 15 overs to spare.

The current form of the Tavistock's 2nd XI is less reassuring. They, too, were playing against their counterparts of Exeter St James CC, but this match was on the home side's ground at Topsham. Losing the toss, Tavistock were asked to bat first on a pitch which for the opening overs was — to put it mildly — rather more than lively, with some deliveries lifting to head height and moving around disconcertingly.

Only the young Paul Tomkies, batting at number one, showed the right technique in the conditions and batted for a competent 48 runs whilst wickets fell steadily around him. After Paul's dismissal with the score on 71 for 5, Andrew Alford held firm for the 25 minutes scoring 15 until he was last out, whilst others took what runs they could to bring the total to a modest 13.

Tavistock's experience bowling attack, on a pitch now more subdued as the afternoon wore on, did little to bother the St James batsmen, and with opener Burnett scoring a brisk 91 not out the result was never really in doubt. Their 8 wickets win was true measure of the home side's superiority.

Clearly,the Tavistock side is presently falling well short of its potential, but with more settled conditions and firmer pitches an improvement in fortunes must be the expectation.

Today (Thursday) Palmers CC, touring from Brighton, are visitors to the Ring (2.30pm), the match being sponsored by the Old Coaching House at Ottery.

Saturday's 1st XI league match takes the side to Bradninch, whilst the 2nds entertain Abbotskerswell in a match sponsored by J T Greaves, Electrical Contractor of Tavistock.

On Sunday, Cleobury Mortimer (Shropshire) are the visitors (sponsor, Tricounty Fuels, Tavistock).