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Posted:
Monday 17th August 2009
Source: Stephen Birley
It was a sweet/bitter weekend for the two
Bradninch senior XIs with the 1st XI securing
the last piece in the jigsaw to ensure that they
will start next season in the top-flight but for
the 2nd XI it was disappointment as they could
not overcome Sidmouth III. So the brave pursuit
of the top two in the 2nd XI A Division is over
and the club will have to wait at least another
twelve months before the dream of top-flight
cricket for both 1st and 2nd XI is realised.
Gary Chappell was once again the inspiration for
the senior side’s home victory over a Budleigh
side who arrived at Kensham Park without the
influential services of County skipper Bobby
Dawson and Somerset all-rounder Omari Banks
knowing that defeat would leave the Ottermouth
men facing the very real prospect of relegation
out of the top-flight, just twelve months after
they finished runners-up!
Batting first there were runs down the order for
Bradninch. A half-century partnership between
openers Gary Newall (20) and Dan Hardy (17)
started things off on a solid footing.
Tim Piper in at three, scored 11 and the top
score of 27 came from the number four slot and
Richard Foan. Gary Chappell went for 14 but Ross
Acton scored 23 before being stumped by Sandy
Allen.
Joe Webb scored 5, Jack Horton 19 and Eliot
Acton was clean bowled without troubling the
scorers.
The tail though did wag for what was to prove a
significant sum of runs as skipper Joel Murphy
(14 not out) and last man Billy Wakeley (6 not
out), combined to add a dozen priceless runs and
push the score to its close of 190-9 after 50
overs.
The Ottermouth side got off to a superb start,
spanking the seamers to all parts and it was the
slow bowlers who turned the screw, and
eventually won Bradninch the game. Gary Chappell
was the match winner as he turned his arm over
most effectively to return the splendid figures
of 5-25 from 15 disciplined, and accurate,
overs.
Of the seamers, Ross Acton was the most
successful, though his three wickets were at a
cost of 64 runs from 15 overs and the skipper’s
nine overs also went at four a time. Jack Horton
(1-7 in 2.4 overs) and Richard Foan (1-13 in
three) were the other successful wicket takers
as Budleigh were bundled out for 167 two balls
from the start of the 46th over.
The win, the side’s fifth of a splendid first
season in the top-flight of county cricket, does
not mathematically ensure their status as a
Premier side for the 2010 season BUT with the
two teams immediately below them in the tables
(Budleigh (10 points behind) and Plymouth (20
points adrift) before the first of the two
relegation berth sides, Torquay (23 points
back), salvation is effectively sealed,
especially as next weekend (August 22), Budleigh
and Torquay meet and they both cannot win that
one!
For Joel Murphy’s men it’s now a much more
comfortable end to the campaign with the final
home game this coming weekend against a North
Devon side who will arrive at Kensham Park, two
places, and 13 points better off sat 4th in the
table before a final day trip to Sidmouth who
sealed a second successive title with a couple
of match days to negotiate.
So bubbly almost out of the magnum and onto the
ice for the 1st XI but not so for the 2nds who
suffered the disappointment of seeing their
brave bid to gain top-flight status at 2nd XI
League cricket, come to and end when they banked
just 14 points with a winning draw away at
Sidmouth III.
Batting first, Bradninch closed on 189-6, the
top score being the 38 that Nat Davey hit. Matt
Jarrett was unbeaten on 35 when he was forced to
retire hurt and there was a cameo knock from
Mark ‘Budgie’ Perrott who was still there at the
close, unbeaten on 25.
Paul Nott then claimed three wickets, finishing
with figures of 3-34 and there was double
success for that wily old club stalwart Simon
‘Bails’ Bailey who bagged a brace to finish with
figures of 2-8. But Sidmouth would not shoulder
arms to enable Bradninch to win the game and
with both Cornwood and Paignton claiming maximum
points, defeat in the race for promotion was
ensured.
Now the race is on to finish ‘best of the rest’
with Phil Chappell’s men going into their final
away game on the penultimate Saturday of the
2009 season at Plymstock who start the game one
place, and eleven points behind Chappell’s 4th
placed side.
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