Francis Clark Devon League

A division

Tavistock v Heathcoat

TAVISTOCK season is doomed to be a dour struggle to avoid relegation following a dismal three-wicket defeat by visitors Heathcoat on Saturday.

Steve Luffman lost the toss for only the second time this season and was asked to bat on a wet and sticky looking wicket.

Andy Kaitiff and Dave Jeffery opened for Tavistock and added 20 before he was lbw for five.

Eighteen runs later Kaitiff, who had made a steady 25, missed a spinning ball from Eddy Buckland and was bowled.

Luffman joined young Bob Luscombe who was playing soundly and the innings passed 50 without mishap. However, with his score on 16 Luscombe was bowled.

Dave Manning started cautiously but was soon striking the ball cleanly and with Luffman scoring freely they took the total past 100 with 20 overs remaining.

Heathcoat skipper Dave Townsend pulled off a masterstroke by switching Singh from the Tavistock end to the Whitchurch end where he drew Manning into a false shot and bowled the lefthander with a huge inswinger.

Luffman's new partner was 16-year-old Dave Downham who found an excellent balance, scoring when the opportunity arose but

defending watchfully when required.

With ten overs to go and 149 on the board Luffman chipped the ball over and off only to see Phil Hague sprint in from the boundary and complete a good catch. He had batted for 79 balls and hit eleven fours in his 64 but had got out at a crucial point in the innings.

Downham played several more attractive shots before being bowled by Townsend for 25.

Tshepo Legodi and Andy Gauler gave some robust hitting and sharp running, the in-form Legodi striking the ball well to finish on 20 not out compared with Gauler's 15 not out.

The total of 202 looked enough against a weak batting side on a wicket still offering some help to the bowlers, but Townsend was about to pull off his second inspired decision. He promoted number 10, Chris Jones, to open the innings and he proceeded to play the innings of his life. Luffman used five bowlers in the attempt to remove him before Steve Bray lured him out of his ground and Dave Manning completed a routine stumping.

When the dust settled Tavistock could see he had amassed 55 runs out of 92 for the first wicket, including seven fours and a six.

Tavistock sought to regain some control of Heathcoat's batsmen. Steve Bray led the fightback, striking to remove Hague two balls later and bring in Eddy Buckland. The new man produced a prodigious blow swinging Bray over midwicket for a massive six. But he trapped Buckland into giving a catch when he attempted to repeat the shot in the next over. The catch was a magnificent effort from Luscombe running 20 yards in from the fence and diving.

Luffman crowded the new batsman, John Corrie, and the young man cracked quickly, being bowled by Bray.

Legodi returned and swiftly accounted for Singh, stumped by Manning for 11. Steve Davis joined his skipper and they edged the score up to 169 before Gauler bowled him for 9.

Dave Parkes came in and played calmly until with two overs and two balls left he tried to force Gauler away and was bowled.

Wicket-keeper John Lewis entered the fray and from the fifth ball of Legodi's last over forced he ball through the off-side field for the winning runs.

Townsend remained, rock-like, on 90 not out having faced 160 balls and hit 12 fours. His innings was a triumph of concentration and restraint with only the occasional glimpse of the strokes which have won him a county place this year. He had led his side to their first victory of the season.

This week Tavistock travel to Alphington.