DCL 2nd XI C Division West

Kingsbridge 2nd XI 235-4,

Torquay 3rd XI 194-8;

Kingsbridge (20pts) beat Torquay (6pts) by 41 runs

Kingsbridge seconds are nearly there in their title bid, with just a win on Saturday required to crown them champions of the league.

Last Saturday they played Torquay in a must-win game. Kings won the toss and chose to bat, looking to put runs on the board.

John Hardy fell early to leave Kings 1-1 and this brought his son Dan to join Aaron Chandler. The two batted well and, seeing off the new ball, Hardy pushed hard to bring up his 50, looking technically great. The pair forged a 126-run partnership before finally Chandler was out for 30.

Hammett joined Hardy and they carried on pushing the score along until Hammett fell for 41, the score at 187-3. Steve Inch came in and teed off from ball one, smashing boundaries. A few balls later Hardy was run out for 97, a superb match-winning knock.

Man of the season Clive Clark came in and scored 13 not out and with Inch finishing on 29 not out, Kings posted a competitive 235-4.

All Kings had to do was bowl Torquay out for the win but Torquay had other ideas, and at 15 overs were 80-0.

This saw Clark replace Hardy and in Clark’s second over he took Jack’s wicket, caught by Hammett at mid-off for 49.

At 125-1 Clark was replaced by Mike Perkin, who also took a wicket in his first over courtesy of a fine catch by Ben Baldry.

Inch bowled out with 0-35 and Baldry bowled three overs for 28 runs. Hammett bowled to try and take wickets and didn’t, so Clark replaced him and picked up a wicket, leaving him with 2-36 off his nine overs.

Torquay skipper Tim Francis was hardworking until finally, out of the blue, he took a quick single, only for Richard Mitchlemore to be quick of the mark at mid-on with an under arm throw to run him out.

At that moment Kings knew the win was in the bag. Perkins was huffing and puffing, bowling nine great overs to take 4-43, and with two overs to go and the score 194-7 Hammett picked the final wicket to bowl Torquay out.

The team would like to take the chance to thank the drivers for driving week in and week out this season.

Next Saturday is the last game of the season and the seconds are at home to South Devon. The club is appealing to all to come up to the Butts, support the lads and cheer them home. All they need is a win to secure the C west title, and the team are buzzing and just wanting to cross the line with a win.

DCL 1st XI C Division West

Kingsbridge 205 all out,

Plymouth Civil Service

and Roborough 199 all out;

Kingsbridge (20pts) beat PCS&R (9pts) by six runs

On a lovely day at the Butts, Kingsbridge entertained bottom of the table Plymouth Civil Service.

On losing the toss Kingsbridge got off to a flying start, with Westlake passing 50 as 75 was put on for the first wicket in 10 overs.

A score of 300-plus looked on the cards as Westlake continued to score freely, but Kingsbridge managed to lose wickets regularly against some indifferent bowling.

The batsmen got in and out and Westlake was fifth out for 87 with the score on 165. With more than 20 overs to go, consolidation was now required. This didn’t happen as runs and wickets continued to flow, with Kings eventually bowled out for 205 with 10 overs remaining.

The pitch was easy paced and a good display in the field was required.

With the bowling options depleted, Carr opened the bowling with an early wicket, bringing Winsor to the crease. He announced his intentions with 16 from an over.

Kingsbridge seemed to be trying to give away as many extras as possible, but still picked up three quick wickets to leave the visitors 89 for 4. Winsor was punishing the pitched-up delivery and moved quickly to 50.

At 129 for 6 Kingsbridge thought the job had been done. Sam Rhymes, replacing Peach up the hill, put in a decent debut performance, taking 2-18 in his six.

Winsor wasn’t ready to concede defeat as Dann hung around with him. He was dropped in the 90s but passed his 100 and at 182 for 6 with less than three runs an over required, Kings looked dead and buried.

Olly Robinson had other ideas, taking three quick wickets as the score became 189 for 9 and Kingsbridge in charge. Four byes and some wides pulled Civil Service to 199 for 9 with one over left in what had turned into a nail-biting contest.

Carr had the dubious honour of bowling the last, coming down the hill.

In the end a run out by Westlake gave Kings the win by just six runs, Robinson finishing with 3-26, a match winning spell. The match ball was sponsored by the Co-op at Ilbert Road.