Devon League

WHITCHURCH enjoyed two good wins this weekend which keeps them right in the hunt for promotion. On Saturday they travelled to Exeter South.

Asked to bat first they made things difficult with vice-captain Chappell run out off the first ball of the innings. Mansfield and Hall rebuilt, adding 52 for the second wicket until Mansfield was out for 34.

Whitchurch stood at 75 for 5 at the midway point.

Newton (26) in partnership with Freedman then Elliott (22) ensured Whitchurch posted a challenging total of 169 all out. Extras also contributed 44 runs.

Tight bowling from Lavis and Mansfield meant the South reply was slow, Lavis bowling 7 maidens out of 12 and conceding only 22 runs for 2 wickets, Mansfield chipping in with 3 wickets.

Conway with 49 was the only South batsman to post any meaningful resistance as Elliott 3-21 cleaned up the tail, South being dismissed for 134. Whitchurch took 18 points from this game.

On Sunday Whitchurch earned a good victory over Roborough. On a pitch with variable bounce, runs were hard to come by, but valuable efforts were made by Freedman and Barriball with 18 each, ably assisted by 28 extras.

Lavis notched 17 for the last wicket helping his side past the 100 mark to 110 all out.

Star men for Roborough were Merrifield 4-24 and King 4-16.

Whitchurch knew their score would take some getting and Roborough found run scoring difficult. Lavis returned figures of 12 overs, 6 maidens, 5 for 13 and was backed up by Mansfield with 3 for 35.

Roborough slumped to 27 for 6, but revived slightly with Bridgett (16) and Merrifield 15. When they went the writing was on the wall, as once again Elliott cleaned up the innings, Roborough dismissed for just 60 runs.

Whitchurch took 16 points from this game.

This week they travel to a fast improving Woodland Fort side.

Tamar League

Brentor v Whitchurch

WHITCHURCH lost by 17 runs at Brentor in a closely fought match on Saturday.

Whitchurch won the toss and chose to field first on a soft pitch. Scoring was never easy but Jude Rotton and Martin Credicott made steady progress until Credicott was caught by Mitchell. Rotton went on to score 36 before being trapped LBW by Neil Tamblin.

Wickets began to fall regularly with Andy Alford (4 for 41) and Tamblin (4 for 38) the successful bowlers. Andy Mitchell took three catches, one a spectacular diving effort which he took inches from the ground.

Tremaine (20), Phillips (15) and Smith (13) were the other main contributors with the bat as Brentor's innings closed at 142 for 9 from 40 overs.

The Whitchurch innings started badly with Ian Gray being bowled for a duck and soon they were 15 for 3. Steve Hodge and Ewen Rae batted cautiously and after 20 overs the Whitchurch score had only reached 30 runs. Rae was out for 15 and Graham Horler followed soon after.

Andy Mitchell and Hodge then put on 74 for the 6th wicket to give Whitchurch a real hope of victory until Mitchell was well stumped by Tremaine for 35.

After that the innings lost the momentum it had gained and Whitchurch finished 17 runs short at 125 for 8. Hodge carried his bat for a fine 57 not out, a marathon effort as he was also the Whitchurch wicket-keeper. The wickets were shared among the Brentor bowlers with Jerry Warland (2 for 22) bowling particularly well and Rotton picking up two wickets for 3 runs in one over.

Brentor took 17 points, Whitchurch 7 points.