RUNS and wickets were hard to find across all 18 divisions of the Tolchards Devon Cricket League on another soggy Saturday afternoon.

There was no play at all in the Premier Division, where the games between Exeter and Tavistock and Hatherleigh’s away game at Bradninch & Kentisbeare were among the casualties.

Bridestowe & Belstone were rained off at home against Heathcoat in the A Division. The Millaton side have yet to complete a home game this season due to rain-offs.

Six weeks into the 2025 season three Saturdays have been largely wiped out by bad weather. That’s not a great success rate, although there have been far worse seasons in the past.

Historic league tables show 1988 as one of the worst seasons for wet weather problems with 29 cancellations in the Premier Division alone. Plymouth, North Devon and Hatherleigh all had six games cancelled. That was in a 24-match season.

The 2008 summer was another disaster zone in the Premier Division with 28 casualties – and that was in an 18 games per-team summer. No one suffered more than Sandford, who missed seven games.

Odd games survived here and there in the lower divisions, including bottom side Hatherleigh 2nd XI’s 120-run defeat at home against C West frontrunners Ipplepen.

Ipplepen opener Toby Holroyd batted from start to finish for 98 not out in a 24-over team total of 204 for four. Along the way were stands of 60 with captain Sam Wakeham (44) and 80 unbroken with Warrick Green, who propped an end up for nine!

Holroyd did some serious damage to the Hatherleigh bowlers in the final five overs. Carl Downes went for 14 in an eight-ball over, and 12 in his next one, Cameron Rowlands went for 24 in two overs and Jamie Nielson was whacked for 17 at the end in an unsuccessful attempt to reach three figures.

Hatherleigh were all out for 84 with an over to go. Greg Solkin opened with 18, Jack Probert made 16 in the middle order and Jerry O’Donoghue added 15 down the order.

George Tapley (2-19) did the early damage with the ball; Joe Parker (3-12) got into the middle order and Green (2-11) wiped out the tail.

Also going ahead in the DCL was Cornwood 3rd XI’s trip to face E West promotion hopefuls Kenn, the home side prevailing.

What should have been a 35-over game didn’t get that far as Kenn were all out in the 32nd of theirs, and Cornwood only got to their 30th!

Pete Chislett’s top score of 41 batting sixth wicket down helped Kenn reach 109 after they had been 70 for nine. No one made more than 13.

Dan Rhode (3-21) was the Wood’s leading wicket taker. Veteran seamer Andy Bees bowled his seven overs at a cost of just five runs!

Cornwood’s reply was a bits-and-pieces affair, the best being Ewan Grewal’s 29. The game got away from them in the time it took to slide from 71 for five to 82 for nine.

James Mason took four for ten and Chislett two for 23 as Cornwood bowed out for 99.

Stoke Gabriel 2nd XI were outplayed with bat and ball when they ran into E West leaders Babbacombe.

Jack de Vere (15) and Aussie import Mitch Trewin (26) had the only scores that reached double figures in Stoke’s all-out total of 88. They lost by seven wickets.