|
Posted:
Monday 23rd June 2008
Source: Stephen Birley
The club�s North Devon League 1st XI kept up their title charge
with a six-run win at Filleigh on Sunday thanks to the all round
efforts of Adrian Ezquerro and Ryan Butterworth and a
three-wicket spell from home-grown teenager, Eliot Acton.
Batting first Bradninch stroked their way to a commanding 234-7
led by Ezquerro (69no) and Butterworth (46). There were also 48
extras of which no fewer than 37 were wides. But the home side
made a great fist of the run chase and had they not lost
centurion Mark Prideaux who was run out in a right royal mix up,
then the outcome of the match may well have been very different.
Prideaux had been at the wicket for just 62 balls when he
departed for 108 at which point the hosts needed 70 to win from
8 overs and with wickets in hand were favourites, but then the
Bradninch bowling attack got to work. Ezquerro and Butterworth
both bagged braces of wickets. The star of the show was teenager
Eliot Acton, son of former 1st XI skipper Chris and grandson of
club President Roy Nott and his wife Annie. Young Acton finished
with 3-42 and the Filleigh reply was all washed up on 228, just
one lusty blow shy of the Bradninch offering. Meanwhile, back
at HQ the club�s Sunday 2nd XI were hosting promotion-hunting
Weare Giffard in a game that produced two outstanding individual
innings. Ross Acton celebrated his call-up to the Devon under 21
side, where he is joined by club mates Tim Piper and Dan Hardy,
hammered a 111 ball 115 in a 118 minute stay at the wicket. Ross
plundered fourteen 4s and smacked five 6s. He and Simon Bailey
(17) added 83 for the 2nd wicket. Other runs came from Luke
Wrightson (14) and 15 year old Ollie Cottrell, who hit 11 whilst
there was a first appearance of the season for the legend that
is Pete Hardy. He marked his first game in whites this term with
a cameo knock of 5. However there were THREE GOLDEN DUCKS with
Mike Evans, Richard Lucas and our very dear Les Kent, all
suffering the walk back to the pavilion with nought to their
name! One interesting point of note about the visitors�
bowling; Ian Jury had no luck bowling �down the hill�, being
removed from the attack after six wicket-less overs, but then he
was recalled to bowl from the far end at Kensham park and
promptly nailed a �fivefer� for just 14 runs in three overs and
twice he was on a hat trick! The visitors then produced their
own centurion, former North Devon batsman Mike Headen cracking a
run a-ball ton of his own and the visitors lost just the one
wicket, taken by 15 year old Richard Lucy, as they got home with
nine wickets and overs to spare. | 
