Defeat leaves Plympton staring down the barrell

PLYMPTON look doomed to relegation from the Tolchards DCL Premier Division following a five-wicket home defeat by fellow strugglers Bovey Tracey.

- CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

PREMIER DIVISION

Plympton were 38 points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table going into the game and needed a win to put some pressure on Bovey Tracey and Paignton above them.

The distance between Plympton and safety is now 41 points and making inroads into that will be a challenge for a side that has only won once so far this season.

Plympton totalled a respectable 200 for eight in a full 50-overs-each game that avoided the bad weather disruption in other parts of the county.

Runs came in bits and pieces from opener Shahbaz Javed (29), Harry Kandampully, who made 31 batting second wicket down, and Chris Dunstan, who was 27 not at the end.

Bovey gave away 42 in extras – 36 of them wides – which boosted the total.

Seb Ansley (3-39) was Bovey’s leading wicket taker. Musa Twala had two for 32. Spinner Ollie Clifford-Bourne (10-3-22-1) offered few scoring opportunities.

Twala opened-up for Bovey and had the target down to seven to win when he was last out for 83.

Significant stands involving Twala were 40 for the first wicket with Jake Pascoe (17), and 85 with Sam Taylor (47) that made the result academic. Seb Ansley (17no) won it in a hurry by bashing Jamie Bailey for a four then a six.

Plympton bowlers Callum Williams, Craig Donohue and Surya Suresh all wheeled away below four an over to make Bovey work for their runs.

Skipper Elliot Hamilton (3-54) came back for a second spell late in the game and took some punishment prising out Twala and Taylor.

CORNWOOD captain Elliott Staddon has admitted his side has some work to do before they can consider themselves genuine Premier Division title challengers.

The Wood have run into secondplaced Sandford and current leaders Bradninch & Kentisbeare on successive Saturdays – and lost both times.