Roborough v Whitchurch

WHITCHURCH 1st XI recorded their first win of the season in the Devon League at Roborough on Saturday.

Whitchurch skipper Darren Chappell won the toss and had no hesitation in putting the home side in on a damp pitch which was always going to make batting difficult. The Roborough openers made a steady start, scoring 48 from 13 overs before Wilson was caught by Lavis off the bowling of Jackson for 30.

Thereafter, wickets fell at regular intervals with only Goodchild (22) showing any significant resistance. John Jackson (3 for 11) and Dean Elliott (2 for 37) both bowled well to remove the top order batsmen and Matt Mills showed the merit of bowling at the stumps taking 4 for 12 (all bowled) to mop up the tail.

Roborough were dismissed for 122 with 4 overs to spare leaving Whitchurch to score 123 to win from 50 overs.

The Whitchurch innings started badly when last week?s centurion Darren Chappell was bowled by Bartrop for 12. Phill Mansfield and Chris Clapham followed soon after and Whitchurch were 32 for 3 from 12 overs. Runs were difficult to come by off some accurate bowling by Merryfield (3 for 30) and Cload (1 for 21) who bowled 12 maiden overs between them. Credicott (23), Jackson (18), Elliott (25) and Newton (17) all batted sensibly and eventually Whitchurch reached their target of 123 for 7 wickets with 4 overs to spare.

This was a match that could have gone either way right up to the last over. In the end the deciding factor was catches ? Whitchurch held most of theirs while Roborough dropped several at vital points in the game. Whitchurch took 17 points, Roborough 4 points.