Devon seconds D Bridestowe seconds v Exwick

BRIDESTOWE seconds started the season in fine style as they defeated Exwick CC at the Millaton Ground.

Bridestowe started well through Charlie Ewen and Steve Batstone who were able to negotiate accurate opening spells from Machin and Bhaskaram.

Ewen was the first to go caught off Bhaskaram (3-40) for 11.

Things went from bad to worse for the hosts as Tom Mallet and Dean Taylor departed to the same bowler for 0 to leave them reeling at 15-3. Tim Shaw and Batstone provided a much needed recovery and took the score safely past 50. Shaw was unlucky to play on to Wilson (2-33) for a well made 27. Skipper Lee Jutson hit a couple of powerful boundaries before he too was gone, caught for 11, to take the score to 88-4.

At the other end, Batstone was looking very solid, and was approaching a fluent 50. Kevin Burns soon departed lbw. Batstone reached his half-century, but was running out of partners at the other end after Kev Yates was bowled by Mitchell (2-32) for 6. Dave Jopling supported Batstone at number 9, with the pair putting on a quick-fire 36.

When Jopling was bowled for a crucial 17 by Machin (1-20), he was replaced by Gideon Pritchard, who smashed a few boundaries as BCC looked to get maximum batting points for the 200. The pair got close, but the chase finished just short of that target when Pritchard was caught for 13 off the last ball of the innings from the bowling of Brownlow (1-7) to make it 194-9.

Exwick's chase started badly as first Richardson was run out and then Mitchell was bowled by Jutson, both for 0. From 10-2, there was a short recovery to 23-2 before two more quick wickets fell to leave Exwick in big trouble at 25-4, Burns (2-24) picking up both wickets through good catches. Jutson completed his spell with superb figures of 9-4-8-1. Mackie, with McRobbie, took the score to 88 before new bowler Pritchard got the breakthrough thanks to a fine catch close in by Ewen.

Pritchard got another wicket as Ewen took another catch to leave Exwick 104-6, with 90 needed from the last 15 overs for victory. Mackie passed his 50 and was still striking the ball nicely. Machin batted well for his 14 before Dave Jopling (1-22) got a crucial breakthrough to reduce Exwick to 125-7.

Another wicket for Pritchard (3-46) and the the run out of Worth for 9, thanks to a great throw from Mallet and some tidy work with the gloves from by Kev Yates, swung it for Bridestowe. Exwick were 160-9 with three overs left with Mackie still at the crease when a great throw from the deep by Ewen, followed by Pritchard calmly taking off the bails, left Mackie stranded for a superb 84 as Bridestowe won by 34 runs.