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Posted:
Sunday 19th July 2009
Source: Stephen Birley
When
Bradninch entertained Sandford at Kensham Avenue on match day two of the
2009 Francis Clark Devon Cricket League season the contest was
very much result led by the toss of the coin.
That early
season game had been hit by heavy weather in the days leading up
to the game and it was a case of deja
vu for the sides with the
return fixture at Creedy Park played out in very similar
conditions.
The only difference to the May and July
confrontations was the end result. Each time Bradninch skipper
Joel Murphy called correctly to win the toss, each time Sandford
were invited to bat first but on this occasion, unlike the May
meeting, the side batting second did not capitulate and so, in
the grander scheme of things, Bradninch can celebrate the fact
that having arrived to compete at the top-flight of Devon County
League Cricket, they have also managed to play through two
meetings with a very much established Premier side, without
being defeated.
That said, the losing draw that Murphy's
men returned from Creedy Park with leaves them still very much
in the scrap to avoid the drop and the remaining fixtures for
the side leave much to do to avoid slipping out of the
top-flight at the first time of asking.
The hosts batted
first and were a wicket down early doors as Billy Wakeley held
the catch off Eliot Acton's bowling and Sandford were quickly
3-1. Small went next, clean bowled by the skipper for 13 but
South African Tianne Mostert was not for moving and it was he
who was to go on and play the defining innings of the contest.
Mostert was eventually dismissed by 'Captain Courageous' Murphy
with the aid of a catch by young Joe Webb.
Murphy went on
to claim a fivefer, his first in the top-flight for the side,
returning the impressive figures of 5-45 in 14overs. Ross Acton
- the undoubted match winner in the May meeting with a
seven-wicket haul, had no luck whatsoever and ended with 0-40
from 15. Gary Chappell bagged a brace (2-32) in his 14 over
stint and Richard Foan claimed 1-11 from a couple of overs.
Sandford�s 50 overs ended with their score 150-9. In terms
of the Bradninch fielding, wicket-keeper Wakeley took a catch
and whipped the bails off to remove Simon Ashplant off the
bowling of Gary Chappell and catches were held by Gary Newall,
Joe Webb, Nick Dean and Eliot Acton.
With 3 runs per over
required the reply got off to the worst possible start with Dan
Hardy caught by Blake off the bowling of Jamie Palmer, without
troubling the scorers and sadly, there was no happy homecoming
for Richard Foan who had graced Creedy Park for many moons with
umpteen big scores. �Bruiser� has struggled with the bat all
season long and he fell cheaply in this game too, like Hardy,
caught by Lake with his wicket
claimed by Mostert.
Gary Newall and Gary Chappell then
set about restoring the run chase and getting it back on track,
something they did in great style before Chappell was caught by
Ashplant of Richard Coupe for 22. Tim Piper did not last long,
caught off Theedom for 10 and it was a similar tale of woe for
Joe Webb as he too was caught for 7. It became a question of
digging deep and Ross Acton did just that, he went on to finish
unbeaten on 7. Newall's magnificent effort was ended by Palmer
for 35 as 70 with two down slipped to 95 for six down. Skipper
Murphy chipped in with 15 and it was left to cousins, Eliot
Acton (0no) and Ross Acton (7no) to see the side to the losing
draw and an eight point haul. Sandford only gained four more
points than that and so the foot of the table with six games to
go looks like:
P W L D C/Ab Pts
+Plymouth 12 3 4 3 0 2 116
+Torquay 12 3 5 3 0 2 112
Bradninch 12 3 5 2 0 2 112
+Exeter 12 2 4 3 0 3 107
Sandford 12 2 5 3 0 2 107
The remaining games are:
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July 25
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Aug 1
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Aug 8
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Aug 15
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Aug 22
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Aug 29
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Plymouth
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A Sidm
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A Torq'y
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H Bo Tra
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A Plymp
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A Sandfo
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H Exeter
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Torquay
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A Brad
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H Plymth
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H N Dev
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A Bov Tr
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A Budleig
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H Plymp
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Bradninch
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H Torq'y
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A Plymp
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A Exeter
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H Budle
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H N Dev
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A Sidmo
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Exeter
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A Budle
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H N Dev
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H Bradn
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A Sandf
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H Sidmo
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A Plymth
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Sandford
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A Plympt
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H Budlei
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A Sidm
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H Exeter
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H Plymo
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A Bov Tr
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