Devon seconds B

Alphington seconds v

Yelverton seconds

DESPITE bowling their opponents out for just over 100, Yelverton seconds lost by 18 runs away to Alphington seconds at the weekend.

Alphington batted first and Yelverton's opening bowlers Geraint Heath and Matt Tamsett soon found their line and length.  Their openers had some good fortune early on, but when the score had reached 32, Heath bowled Davey with a ball that nipped back 'through the gate.' Remaining opener Cousins soon followed lbw to the same bowler.  New batsman N Gott departed for a duck, well caught by Tamsett low down at cover off the bowling of Joel Avery with the score on 63-3.  Alphington's skipper T Weeks went for 3, flicking a ball to Ash Phillips' at mid-wicket, again off Avery.  With the score on 73-4, the Bohemians were in the driving seat, and this was further emphasised as Avery struck again pinning back Rowe's off-stump for a duck.

Heath still bowling with pace and bounce got one through the defences to bowl Wilson and with the penultimate ball of his spell, induced Hussain (38) to glove a catch behind to keeper Degg.  This flurry of wickets left the score on 99-7 and any hopes Alphington had of their tail 'wagging' were dashed as Avery bowled Densham (3) and having Hathaway and Amesbury both caught in the gully by Gerry Keen to finish with the excellent figures of 8.4-1-24-6.  Heath's 13 over spell had brought him 4-50.  Alphington's final score of 105 certainly seemed a reachable target for the visitors.

The Bohemians, including young Academy players Edward Degg and Ben Pearson, set about chasing down their target of 106 confidently, but had reckoned without the bowling of S Hathaway, who in an un-changed spell of 14.5 overs took a remarkable 9-37.  Only G Keen with 19 and Joel Avery with 20 offered much resistance as the Bohemians slumped first to 34-4 and then 58-9.  The Bohemians fought back and last pair Avery and Heath started to make Alphington sweat sticking around for 11 overs in a last wicket partnership 29. 

With 19 runs required for victory, Hathaway took his ninth wicket, Heath lbw, to give victory to the home side by 18 runs. Joel Avery was left 20 not out to complete an excellent all-round effort. Despite losing, Yelverton picked up five bowling points.