Devon seconds B West

Plymouth seconds v

Tavistock seconds

TAVISTOCK Cricket Club seconds secured second place in the league with a comfortable win over local rivals Plymouth on the final day of the season.

Visiting Captain Andy Gauler won the toss and decided to field on a pitch that was to play better than it looked.

Plymouth openers Taylor and Jones got the home team off to a quick start against some initial short pitched bowling from the Tavistock attack, before Lewis had Taylor caught behind by Webber for 15. However, the Plymouth batsman continued to score at an uneasy rate, against the normally accurate Scott Munden, even with the losses of Plymouth skipper Jones and the aggressive Carlisle for a quick fire 20.

Tavistock eventually put the brakes on the run rate with Skipper bowling a miserly nine overs for just 15 runs, while the ever consistent Hopkins was taking 4-16 at the other end, including Plymouth top scorer Varcoe, who was out bowled for a classy 36. Gauler was replaced by quick bowler Matt Puttock who cleaned up the Plymouth tail with figures of 3-28. Plymouth were eventually all out for 131 in the 41st over, leaving Tavistock a total that given some of the high scores of recent games looked comfortable.

However in reply Tavistock were soon in a bit of a mess. Scott Munden chipped one to mid on, Watson missed a straight one and Stephens fell in the same manner as Munden; Ben Russell was bowled for 11, and the visitors were reeling at 24-4. However, batsman of the year Puttock and the returning Webber for Tavistock repaired the damage and then started to dominate the bowling, with a mixture of boundaries and good running between the wickets. Puttock ended up on 68 not out and Webber was not out 31, as the visitors cruised pass the needed total in the 27th over.

Finishing second, means that the clubs goal at the start of the season, of finishing in the top four was achieved, ensuring that both sides at the Ring, will be playing in the restructured all through league, which will mean consistently strong cricket, played on consistently good wickets, which is key for the development of younger players.

Anyone interested in playing league cricket next season, go to the Tavistock Cricket Club website at www.tavistock.play-cricket.com/contact_us