updated devon cricket league 2026 - round 14
1ST XI
The 1st XI played host to Ivybridge CC 1st XI. There were rumours that Frank Bruno was going to make an appearance to ask, “Where’s Harry” as Harry Baxendale was still in charge.
It isn’t often umpires get mentioned but making his first DCL “appointed” appearance at The Rec was Keith Willcock who played his DCL cricket for Plymouth and Plympton. Keith is the youngest son of legendary Cornwall CCC opening batter, Eric, although Keith was born in the land of “cream first.”
TKCC won the toss and elected to bat. Many TKCC batters made starts but didn’t push on and when Dan Western was 6th out the score was 140 after 31.1 overs it wasn’t looking good. However, rather reminiscent of Kilmington CC 1st XI at home, this time the 7th wicket rescued the innings in destructive manner with Jimmy Clifford (72 not out) and James Tyler (50 not out) putting on an un-defeated partnership of 111. Tyler’s knock included 4 * 6s. This enabled TKCC to finish on 251 for 6 in their 50 overs. The best of the Ivybridge bowlers was Adam Huxtable their skipper now back from paternity leave with 3 for 28.
Despite a couple of early wickets, Ivybridge seemed to be cruising to victory, Initially, thanks to Zach Dunn (40) and Dinesh Raheja (65), When Dunn was out, Raheja was joined by their overseas, Michael Copeland who went onto score 71 before being caught by a stunning catch by Jimmy Clifford off a surprise bowling package, Ben Pomare, who went onto take 4 for 49. In the end Ivybridge got over the line with just 2 balls to spare and only 3 wickets in hand,
Clearly some of the Ivybridge players have been brought up proper when it comes to cricket etiquette – two of them not only thanked both scorers, they shook hands with both scorers.
A huge thank you just go to Di Kelmere who helped Evo get the fielding discs. Likewise, a thank must go to some members of the fabled Wednesday Afternoon Work Party who saved the club money by going ball hunting. As for the bench seats – no comment. Finally a huge thank you to Katie Needs for running the hatch virtually solo.
Next up for the 1st XI is a “dead” home match in VX3 Cup against Paignton CC this Tuesday before returning DCL next Saturday in a crunch away fixture against 4th placed, Budleigh Salterton CC 1st XI. The opposition might even have a former Exeter Chief and England international, Tom Johnson, in their side.
Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 1st XI 251 for 6 (50 overs)
J Clifford 72 not out
J Tyler 50 not out
A Huxtable 3-28
Ivybridge CC 1st Xi 252 for 7 (49.4 overs)
M Copeland 71
D Raheja 65
Z Dunn 40
B Pomare 4-49
Ivybridge CC 1st XI (18 pts) beat Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 1st XI (8 pts) by 3 wickets
2ND XI
The 2nd XI travelled west to take on their counterparts from Ivybridge – not often with all through leagues the 1st XIs and 2nd XIs play the same club on the same day.
TKCC won the toss but unlike the 1st XI asked Ivybridge to have a bat. It was a case of cameos by several batters but with the exception of skipper, Sam Northmore with 35, no one else reached 30. Free of work commitments, Towkir Chowdhury was the best of the TKCC bowlers with 4 for 27 as Ivybridge reached 186 for 9 in their 45 overs,
In reply in the words of Craig Revell Horwood it looked like it was going to a “complete disaster…” when TKCC were 27 for 4 and then 43 for 5. However, the club’s super vet, Mike Pugh with 58 and skipper, Ryan Hanauer with 54, got TKCC within sight of victory. Hanauer fell with 46 runs still needed and Pugh with just 4 runs needed, Hanauer’s wicket though allowed Towkir Chowdhury to have a quick cameo of 26 not out including the winning single. Tom Worth was the best of Ivybridge bowlers with a miserly 3 for 14.
Next up for the 2nd XI next weekend is hosting one of the original DCL teams, Yelverton Bohemians CC 1st XI. A useless fact the DCL had the same number of original teams as the Football League!
Ivybridge CC 2nd XI 186 for 9 (45 overs)
S Northmore 35
T Chowdhury 4-27
Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 2nd XI 187 for 7 (42.4 overs)
M Pugh 58
R Hanauer 54
T Worth 3-14
Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 2nd XI (19 pts) beat Ivybridge CC 2nd XI (7 pts) by 3 wickets
3RD XI
The 3rd XI played host to Kenn CC 2nd XI.
Kenn won the toss and asked TKCC to have a bat. Losing skipper, Mike Etherington early on, it was left to the Chair of Cricket, Steve Waters with 66 and Abu Bakar with 71 not out to amass the large bulk of TKCCs 233 for 6 in their 40 overs (Mr Extras with 34 also helped). There are rumours that Steve Waters was in “the chair” after the match, The best of the Kenn bowlers was Frankie Summers with 3 for 31.
The middle order gave Kenn some hope with Falk Koeller scoring 73 and Ian Hutchings scoring 43. However, another vintage performance with the ball my Paul Harding, 3 for 30, meant Kenn fell short by 36 runs, in part also to a cheeky 2 for 5 off just one over by the forementioned, Steve Waters.
Next up for the 3rd XI next weekend is a trip away to take on Honiton CC 2nd XI.
Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 3rd XI 233 for 6 (40 overs)
A Bakar 71 not out
S Waters 66
F Summers 3-31
Kenn CC 2nd XI 197 all out (37 overs)
F Koeller 73
I Hutchings 43
P Harding 3-30
Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 3rd XI (20 pts) beat Kenn CC 2nd XI (7 pts) by 36 runs
4TH XI
Even the temptation of playing on a main ground meant the 4th XI travelled just outside of Torbay (well for now) to take on Stoke Gabriel CC 3rd XI with only 10 players yet again.
Stoke Gabriel won the toss and asked TKCC to have a bat. Well, the 4th XI scored more runs then any of the other XIs (276 all out in 38.5 overs) with the star of the show, the one and only Leigh Scarff with 71, his maiden DCL 50. Scarff was so tantalising close to the highest score by a TKCC batter over the whole weekend - falling just 2 runs short of beating Jimmy Clifford’s knock. Other significant knocks came from Rahul Chandrappa (53 – another maiden DCL 50) and Matt Scholes (40). However, once Scarff was out the innings subsided in the last few overs. Adam Latham (3 for 19) and Jason Gonifas (3 for 26) were the best of the Stoke Gabriel bowlers.
In reply, Stoke Gabriel got off to a reason start before Adam Lathan was out with the score on 57. His opening partner, Russell Hulme who went onto score 41 was the third of a cluster of wickets to fall leaving Stoke Gabriel on 112 for 5. There was then a 6th wicket partnership of 67 between Sam Cogger (32) and Simon Street who went onto score an undefeated 50 supported by Matthew Kerr (29 not out). Stoke Gabriel finally finished on 230 for 6 in their 40 overs With, all available bowlers having their turn to bowl, the wickets were shared around, with the best of the TKCC bowlers being Stphen Jones with 2 for 11.
A special thank you must go to loanee, Domonic Robertson, from Teignmouth and Shaldon CC for helping out TKCC,
Next up for the 4th XI next weekend is hosting Tavistock CC 3rd XI on Saturday!
Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 4th XI 276 all out (38.5 overs)
L Scarff 71
R Chandrappa 53
M Scholes 40
A Latham 3-19
Stoke Gabriel CC 3rd XI 230 for 6 (40 overs)
S Street 50 not out
S Cogger 32
M Kerr 29 not out
S Jomes 2-11
Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 4th XI (18 pts) beat Stoke Gabriel CC 3rd XI (10 pts) by 46 runs
Player of the Day
Player of the weekend, it can only go to one person Leigh Scarff.
Spectator Watch
Mention must be made of Jimmy Clifford snr who had travelled about 190 miles to see his son personally have a rather G’Day! Not quite the record – that will always certainly be Mitch Pugh’s dad, 10,795 miles from Melbourne!