Devon C West

Chagford v Bridestowe

BRIDESTOWE got back to winning ways with a convincing victory at Chagford. The home side won the toss and batted first on a dry pitch. Sizmur and Lavis opened the bowling accurately for Bridestowe, with both batsmen struggling to score early on.

All of the runs came from Fulner, who began to hit a few boundaries, whilst Filor just looked to survive. Bridestowe made early changes and it paid off as Khan got an early breakthrough, with Filor spooning a catch to Sizmur at short mid-wicket. Jopling bowled a good spell but failed to pick up a wicket due to a few missed chances.

Sam Ewen had immediate success, a short ball was cut to Khan at point, who pushed the ball up to James Ewen in the gully to remove Fulner for 40. Ewen soon had another as Penberthy edged an easy chance to Phil Hatton at first slip. Khan was getting a lot of turn and was consistently beating Vos’ outside edge, but it was Lord who went next out, bowled by Khan (9-4-16-2).

Ewen then got the important wicket of Vos, who edged the ball down the leg side to Pat Ewen who took an excellent catch. Ewen then blew away Chagford’s middle order, who were unable to handle the pace and movement that he was generating. At one stage, Ewen had incredible figures of 5-5-0-6, with the keeper and slip cordon catching everything that came their way. Sam Ewen finished with new league record figures of 8.3-5-8-6. It seemed as though Chagford would be dismissed for well under 100, but the last pair of Penberthy and Holland batted sensibly and proved harder to dismiss. With overs running out, Penberthy (40) decided to go on the attack, hitting a number of boundaries and one massive six into the field. The score moved on to 114 before both batsmen ended up at the same end, and a sensible throw from Phil Hatton to the bowler’s end brought an end to the innings.

Sizmur and Phil Hatton began the Bridestowe reply, confident that they could chase the relatively low total. Chagford needed early wickets, and so opened with Lammonby (1-17) and spinner Vos.

The score reached 18 before Phil cut a short ball from Vos straight to backward point. That brought Jack Hatton to the crease, and him and Sizmur picked up the pace, hitting a number of boundaries to move the score past 50.

The pair batted sensibly before a change in the bowling did for Jack (22), as he clipped one off his legs nicely, only to be excellently caught at mid-wicket.

James Ewen and Sizmur continued to push the score along at a good rate, and at 82-2 it seemed as if the visitors would cruise home in a hurry. However, James was then run out, and the run rate slowed as the change bowlers found some accurate lines. Sizmur (53) brought up an excellent half-century, but in an attempt to finish things with a boundary off he was caught at mid-off. Sam Ewen came in an tried to do the same and was bowled having a swipe at the returning Lammonby.

Jopling levelled the scores with a neat clip off his legs for four and he and Khan scampered a leg bye to claim the win with five-wickets and more than ten overs remaining.