Posted: Wednesday 1st June 2011
Source: Derrick Foan

Joe Webb struck an unbeaten 63 as Bradninch dispatched Bovey Tracey by seven wickets at Kensham Park.

Ben Ayres with 35 had the best of a modest set of scores in Bovey’s total of 148 all out in what would have been a 47-over game had it gone the distance. Six of Bovey’s overs were surplus to requirements as Sean Nowak (4-37) and fit-again skipper Ross Acton (3-32) worked through the order.

Bradninch had a minor stutter early in the chase when they slipped from 26 for none to 43 for three – South African pacer Danny Childs taking two of the wickets to fall. That was as good as it got for Bovey though as Webb and surviving opener Tim Piper (47no) knocked off the runs with more than 16 overs to spare.

Bradninch were the only one of the top-five teams to win in the latest round of fixtures and have gone up one place to fourth, just eight points behind leaders North Devon.

ice-captain Paul Nott said the icing on the cake was seeing skipper Acton get through 10 overs without any major problems on his first bowl of the season. “We missed Ross’s bowling in the first three games and having him back is a real bonus for the team,” said Nott.

On the Bradninch performance, Nott added: “Overall it was pretty good. We bowled well and got a decent total to chase. It was a bit of a struggle at first when we were three down, but Tim and Joe put on a hundred odd and never looked like getting out.”

Bovey, who were 48 for one when Nowak got out Nick Seager for 20, will look at a lack of runs from the middle order as contributory to their downfall. They lost wickets in clutches – 80 for three became 86for five – and when both Bradley brothers fell to Novak in successive balls they were 106 for seven.

A ninth-wicket stand of 26 between Ryan Bougourd (11no) and Ayres got the final total up to something more respectable. Bovey skipper Peter Bradley said it was his team’s worst display of the season so far. He added: “At least in our other games we looked capable of winning, which never looked remotely likely in this one.”