Devon C

Yelverton v

Ottery St Mary

YELVERTON slipped to a disappointing eight wicket defeat at the hands of visitors Ottery St Mary on Saturday at Langton Park.

Asked to bat first by the visiting captain Jody Clements, Yelverton lost opener Mark Symes for four bowled by Jody Clements.  Remaining opener Rich Townsend followed with the score on 29 caught by Dan Flower off the bowling of Joe Birch.

Veteran Geoff Brain and Dave Scott set about repairing the innings and added 53 for the third wicket before Brain was bowled for 27 when he missed a sweep at Matt Reed.  Scott was joined by James Harrison and they added 25 at a run a ball before Harrison was adjudged lbw for 16.

Skipper Richard Goldsby-West added 28 with Scott for the fifth wicket but just when the partnership appeared to be flourishing, West top edged a pull off a full toss from Reed and was caught at square leg.  

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals and Yelverton were unable to build a substantial partnership to boost their total despite the efforts of Dave Scott (69) and a bright and breezy 21 not out from Iain Cunningham as the Bohemians were bowled out for 205 on the last ball of the 44th over.

The score looked to be below par by about 50 to 60 runs.  Joe Birch (3-20), Jody Clements (2-31) and Matt Reed (3-34) all bowled well for the visitors.

In reply, Ottery openers Dan Flower and Sam Tennett made good use of the Powerplay overs in an aggressive opening stand of 82 for the first wicket to break the back of the chase.   When Flower was bowled by Goldsby-West for 43, former Devon all-rounder John Tierney joined Tennent in the middle and after a short reconnaissance of the bowling, blasted a quickfire 53 in a partnership of 107 for the second wicket to take Ottery almost over the winning line.  

Tierney top edged a pull off Iain Cunningham and was caught by James Harrison with the score on 189 to give Yeleverton one bowling bonus point, but then Tennent (62no) and Prichard (9no) saw Ottery to 206-2 without further alarm.