Devon seconds B

Yelverton seconds

v Braunton seconds

YELVERTON seconds and visitors Braunton went the whole distance on Saturday with the North Devon side winning by one wicket off the final delivery of the match. Braunton won the toss and on a hot and sunny afternoon elected to field. 

Yelverton's openers, veteran Andy Taylor and Ian Loze opened up with a partnership of 29 before Loze was bowled off his pads for 18.  Paul Farnham joined Taylor and the pair took the score past 50 before Taylor was dismissed, caught at cover off a mistimed square cut. 

Farnham and Gerry Keen put on 40 at a run a ball for the third wicket, but with the score on 93, Farnham top-edged a pull and was caught at mid-wicket for 19.  Keen followed for a well played 35 with the score on 108, also bowled off his pads. 

The Braunton bowlers had bowled a nagging line and length and never allowed the Yelverton batsmen to score freely. 

New pair Gul Khan and Fraser Coleman put on 21, before Khan retired hurt on 13.   Young Academy player Dan Cooper struck some well timed shots, but was caught in the gully off a rising delivery with the score on 129.  Khan resumed his innings, but almost immediately lost Coleman, caught at extra-cover.  Chris Pearson, skippering in the absence of Jason Degg, joined Khan with the score on 130-6 with 9 overs left.  Khan playing some well timed leg-side shots was aided by Pearson with some lusty blows of his own as the pair but on 59 for the seventh wicket before Pearson was run out in the 45th over for 27.  Khan saw the innings through to 195-9 with Jez Croymosan and Terry Roe, perishing cheaply in the search for quick runs in the final over.  Khan was unbeaten on 52.  Braunton's most successful bowler was W Iqbal with 3-35 off 8 overs.

Braunton started their reply in confident fashion with skipper Dave Cresswell looking in good form, striking six boundaries early on before he was caught by Dan Cooper at square-leg off the bowling of Coleman for 24.  The second wicket pair of Abbott and Mathews scored a partnership of 71 until the introduction of Taylor's slow-left arm brought the wicket of Abbott for 36, caught one-handed by a diving Pearson at cover-point.  Mathews followed, acrobatically caught by a diving Khan at second slip off the bowling of Loze to leave Braunton on 126-3 with 16 overs left. 

Braunton experienced a bit of a wobble as Pearson whipped out Iqbal for 2, caught behind by a diving Croymosan.  Latham followed for 1 as Loze sent his middle stump flying, and when Roe ran out Parker with a direct hit from cover Braunton had been reduced to 138-6. 

New batsman Keiran Jerrett was quick to put bat to ball. Accompanied by Brigden the pair put on 22 priceless runs for the seventh wicket before Pearson yorked Brigden.  New batsman T Johnson then helped Jerrett add 19 before Johnson was caught by Keen off the bowling of Roe with the score on 179-8 with 4 overs left.  Pearson bowled M Johnson in the 43rd over leaving Braunton to score 13 runs with the last pair at the crease. 

Jerrett was put down by Loze off the bowling of Pearson in the 45th over leaving 8 runs required off the final over.  Jerrett vitually sealed the win, hitting Roe's second ball for 6, but three dot balls later, a single was required off the final ball, which Jerrett (49no) achieved squeezing the ball through the covers for a one wicket victory.  Yelverton's best bowler was Chris Pearson with 3-22 off 7.