DEVON CRICKET LEAGUE 2026 - ROUND 2
1ST XI
The 1st XI played host to Bovey Tracey CC 1st XI with no fewer then eight players making their home 1st XI league debuts for the “merged” club. The number undoubtedly increased with both of Hazza’s previous loyal lieutenants confined to the sidelines – from all accounts Evo has just told Hazza who will be fulfilling the role in the interim. Well, the response from Hazza was “I hadn’t thought about it but seems sensible.”
Prior to the match, Evo had a nice surprise – the spare ball from the AP Cup match was returned to him. However, post-match his mood went rather downhill!
TKCC won the toss and decided to bat on what turned out to be a difficult track to bat on – all nine wickets which fell were caught!. Many of the batters made starts but didn’t kick on with the exception of Jimmy Clifford with 63 and Will Begy with 42. TKCCx overseas player Ben Pomare on his girl friend’s birthday did though score 36. The best of the BT bowlers was Albie Bradley with 4 for 59 – one proud mum in the scorebox. The family dog just slept through it all – if all cricketers were as well behaved as him there would be need for the DCL to have a Disciplinary Officer! TKCC finished on 230 for 9 in their 50 overs.
In reply BT got off to a reasonable start but just like TKCC many batters made starts but didn’t kick on with Harry Mount top scoring with 39. BT certainly bat in depth – well with captain Seb Ansley (yes, he has a famous sister) coming in at no 8 scoring 23 before Jimmy Clifford taking a “Jonty Rhodes like catch” off Harry Passenger. With the match still in the balance, step up James Tyler with 3 wickets in 4 balls to finish the match as BT were all out for 159 in just 37.4 overs – his figures being 4 for 31. He was well supported by Will Begy with 3 for 15. However, before the next match many of the bowler’s radars need a good service – 22 extras and all 22 being wides.
Next up for the 1st XI is their longest trip of the season to take on the early season table toppers, North Devon CC 1st Xi.
Finally, a question to the players. How do you think the bench seats and the fielding discs found their way back into the pavilion after the match?
Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 1st XI 230 for 9 (50 Overs)
J Clifford 63
W Begy 42
A Bradley 4-59
Bovey Tracey CC 1st XI 159 all out (37.4 overs)
H Mount 39
J Tyler 4-31
W Begy 3-15
Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 1st XI (19 pts) beat Bovey Tracey CC 1st XI (7 pts) by 70 Runs
2ND XI
The 2nd XI made the shortest of away trip to the former home of Torquay CC – Cricketfield Road to take on Barton CC 2nd XI under the leadership of Tim Western with Ryan Hanauer opting to play rugby instead.
Barton were led by former Torquay CC 1st XI skipper, Tom Drake, and included half the “Needham Dynasty”, formerly of this parish.
Barton won the toss and elected to field. In certainly wasn’t a day with the bat for the Western family – only 21 runs amongst the three of them. A family who resides in the same road had a much better day with the bat though with Faiz Ebrahim scoring 114 not out which included 16 4s and 3 6s – lets hope there are no complaints from local residents of balls landing in their gardens. Whilst Faiz’s son, Ethan, was only 4 not out, he was batting with dad when Faiz reached three figures – a proud moment for the family. The best of the Barton bowlers was Harry Shelton with 2 for 71 (watched by grandad, Chris, who had been at The Rec earlier) as TKCC scored 245 for 7 in 45 overs.
In reply the only Barton batter to seriously contribute now he is not playing on one leg, Tom Drake, with 63. The star with the ball for TKCC was Abu Bakar with the fab-ul-ous figures of 5 for 7 as Baron were all out for 151 in 40.3 overs.
Next up for the 2nd XI next Saturday is a home fixture when they host Plymstock CC 2nd XI.
Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 2nd XI 245 for 7 (45 overs)
F Ebrahin 114 not out
H Shelton 2-71
Barton CC 2nd XI 151 all out (40.3 overs)
T Drake 63
A Bakar 5-7
Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 2nd XI (20 pts) beat Barton CC 2nd XI (6 pts) by 94 Runs
3RD XI
The 3rd XI played host to Topsham St James CC 2nd XI at Kingskerswell in what turn out to be a runs feast!
TKCC won the toss and elected to field. The Topsham St James innings was built around the 141 scored Howard Smalley. He was supported though by Alex Davison with 50 and Andy Shields with 40 (thanks to broken radars Extras also scored a fifty with the help of 24 wides). The best of the TKCC bowlers was Matt Rossin with 2 for 42 who by all accounts was hurting last night – maybe the idea of scoring is a good idea! Topsham St James finished on 297 for 7 in just 40 overs – catch avoidance helping apparently!
In reply chasing the mammoth target, Chair of Cricket, Steve Waters, got it off to a good start with 55. However, bating at no 5, it was then left to skipper, Mike Etherington, to keep the slender hopes of a victory alive with 77 not out. Despite a fifty contributed by Extras. TKCC fell an agonising 10 runs short in the chase. The best of the Topsham St James bowlers being Brian Jeary with 3 for 40.
Next up for the 3rd XI next Saturday is a trip to Cranbrook to take on Ottery St Mary CC 3rd XI.
Topsham St James CC 2nd XI 297 for 7 (40 overs)
H Smalley 141
A Davison 50
A Shields 40
M Rossin 2-42
Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 3rd XI 287 for 8 (40 overs)
M Etherington 77 not out
S Waters 55
B Jeary 3-40
Topsham St James CC 2nd XI (19 pts) beat Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 3rd XI (8 pts) by 10 Runs
4TH XI
The 4th XI travelled the short distance to the former home of Torquay CC 3rd XI – Cockington (which actually hosted the last ever home match for the 2nd XI pre-merger) to take on St Marychurch Old Boys CC 1st XI.
SMOB won the toss and elected to bat and their innings was built around 70 from Kurt Dettman and once again Extras with another fifty 46 of then wides. (Certainly, plenty of overtime for the club’s radar engineers this week!) The best of the TKCC bowlers being Stephen Jones with 4 for 44 as SMOB amassed 190 for 7 in their 40 overs.
Sadly, TKCC subsided to 122 all out in just 31 overs. The best of the batters being legendary master blaster, Phil Bradford, who rolled back the years with a run a ball 39. As for the SMOB bowlers, the star was Shaun Molyneux with 4 for 23.
A special thank you must go to Balakrishnan Mallavarapu for agreeing to play as a loan player for the club.
Next up for the 4th XI next weekend is hosting Plymouth CC 4th XI skippered by the legendary Dave Burke.
St Marychurch OlbdBoys CC 1st XI 190 for 7 (40 overs)
K Dettman 70
S Jones 4-44
Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 4th XI 122 all out (31 overs)
P Bradford 39
S Molyneux 4-23
St Marychurch Old Boys CC 1st XI (19 pts) beat Torquay and Kingskerswell CC 4th XI (6 pts) by 68 Runs
Player of the Day
A really difficult choice between Abu Bakar, Faiz Ebrahim and James Tyler when on most days Will Begy and Jimmy Clifford would also have been candidates. However, on this occasion it goes to James Tyler.
Spectator Watch
Mention must be made of Phil Sturman who had a day off from scoring for the 2nd XI. Phil went from:
2nd XI – 1st XI – 2nd XI – 3rd XI – 4th XI – 1st XI – 2nd XI