Hatherleigh firsts v Lewdown firsts

PERHAPS Hatherleigh had wondered how well Lewdown would cope when prolific batsmen Johannes Wessells, who had already amassed 700 plus runs this season, failed to add significantly to his total.

They soon found out as batting first, in a rain delayed match, Hatherleigh tails were up as they removed Wessels for 14 to make the score 23-2 after an excellent spell from Sean Letheren. However, Leon Horn (29) and Harry Geering (31) steadied the ship as Lewdown aimed to build a total to defend on an overcast day.

Hatherleigh applied pressure to peg the visitors down to 109-7 with Jack Cherrington and Matt Thomas picking up two wickets each.

A superb eighth wicket saw Billy Searle (58) and Dan Fogerty (30) add 70 in the last few overs, with Searle repeatedly smashing the ball into the cement works next door, to give Lewdown the momentum with 179 on the board.

Lewdown kept that momentum as Wessels and Fogerty removed the Hatherleigh openers for nine runs.

Daniel Forester (20) and Chris Jelley (25) provided high hopes when the writing was on the wall at 49-5. Despite a spirited 27 from Ryan Davies Hatherleigh’s innings petered out for a total of 138.

Wessels and Fogerty bowled well with two wickets each but the pick of the bowlers was Nick Smith with two wickets for eight runs from six overs. Harry Geering took three superb catches in the gully.

This result sees Lewdown rise up to second in the table with Hatherleigh dropping into the bottom two.

Devon A

Lewdown v Budleigh Salterton

A WICKET only cut on the morning of the match always meant that winning the toss was likely to be crucial and so it proved.

Budleigh Salterton put Lewdown in to bat on a grassy, damp wicket. Lewdown lost two wickets for only eight runs; however, Tom Pengelly (47) admirably steadied the ship, first with Justin Gliddon (15) and then Matt Witcher.

Pengelly was dismissed just short of what would have been a well earned half century as Lewdown posted 153 not out.

Budleigh started poorly and lost a wicket with the first ball of the innings as the excellent Nick Smith had their opener caught behind. Budleigh composed themselves and put on 85 for the next wicket but Lewdown stayed positive in the field and were duly rewarded when wickets began to fall.

With Matt Witcher being the pick of the bowlers with three wickets and Harry Geering taking a stunning catch, the momentum shifted in Lewdown’s favour as Budleigh inched their way to victory.

Nick Smith missed a sharp caught and bowled chance which would have reduced the hosts to eight wickets down and certainly would have meant more tension at the end.

However, Budleigh held their nerve to win the game but Lewdown will have been heartened by the performance with three of the regular team missing.