Devon Cricket League 1st XI C division west
Yelverton Bohemians 200 for 9,
Kingsbridge 208 for 9
Yelverton Bohemians (nine points) lost to Kingsbridge (19) by eight runs
Kingsbridge travelled to the moors on a fine and sunny Saturday afternoon.
The pitch had beencovered and looked particularly dry.
De Silva was back for Kingsbridge and on winning the toss Kings chose to bat.
Kingsbridge welcomed Matt Peach back on a guest appearance from Bristol with regular wicketkeeper Bradbury on holiday.
Julian Bertie, a recent new signing, came in for his first league game fresh from his debut century the previous Sunday.
James Westlake and Matt Peach opened the batting and on a not particularly easy pitch posted the first 100 opening partnership of the season.
Both batted well, picking up singles and running well between the wickets on a large slow outfield.
They passed the drinks interval and were starting to accelerate when Westlake got a low one and played on for a well-crafted 60 with the score on 109.
Peach appeared to be moving to a well-deserved half century until he drilled one straight back to van Niekerk, who took a stinging return catch with him on 48.
Lady luck has not partucularly favoured Kingsbridge this year and the pitch played a few trick as left-armer Townsend managed to find four deliveries of little bounce as wickets tumbled Bridgens smashed a quick 19 until he got one.
Will Dorey, finding some form, made 21 until he chipped one to mid on and Kings found themselves on 191 for 9 with a couple of overs left and it was left to the experienced Clark (14no) and Neal Peach to steer Kingsbridge past maximum batting points and 208 for 9.
The home spectators thought this a good total as the pitch is known for its variable bounce later on and Kings had already experienced this.
Rosewarne took an early wicket thanks to a fine low catch behind by Matt Peach, but one opener laid anchor and the left-handed Townsend punished any wide deliveries in passing 50.
As runs began to mount up, De Silva rang the bowling changes to little avail until he threw the ball to spinner Bertie, who duly obliged with two wickets.
Kingsbridge were now back in the game but Yelverton had cruised past 100 with half the overs left.
The run rate was less than five an over when Peach and de Silva re-entered the attack, applying the brake.
De Silva removed the dangerous van Niekerk lbw for 37 but it should still have been a cruise to victory, but three fantastic catches changed the course of the game.
Alex Browne took the first, Will Dorey the second and Tom Bridgens, standing on the boundary, taking a catch as it was going for six off Rosewarne over his head, had the third.
This left Yelverton needing 24 from the last three overs with two wickets in hand.
Pike snuck a wicket and it was left to Rosewarne to finish a good spell where he had taken three wickets before De Silva bowled the last over for victory, unfortunately unable to take the last wicket as Yelverton totalled 200 for 9.
The match ball was kindly sponsored by David Lawrence.
Meanwhile, Kingsbridge second XI enjoyed another excellent victory, beating Yelverton by 90 runs.
Hammett won the toss and chose to bat; having a great batting line-up, Kings were looking to score over 250.
Opener James Ellis should have been caught first ball but instead picked up three runs. Spike Ford was his opening partner and was free scoring while Ellis held down the other end well. Spike reached his 50 in the 15th over with Ellis on 10.
Yelverton lost a player due to getting hit on the chin with the ball, so Hammett agreed to lend them Ben Taylor.
Ellis started to pick the pace up and score some runs to push the score past 100, but in the 26th over was caught for 39, ending a great opening partnership of 120.
Eddie Church was next in and he scored quickly, smashing two sixes and a four, beforebeing caught amazingly by sub fielder Taylor, leaving Church distinctly unimpressed...
George Holland came and went making seven, Steve Inch came in with Spike but two overs later Spike fell for a well earned 88.
With the score at 188-4, the in-form batsmen Matt Hammett arrived at the crease and he picked up where he left off last week, smashing the ball all around the park, notching three sixes and five fours.
Inch added runs and rotated the strike to get Hammett to face the bowler as he was seeing it like a beach ball. Inch was finally trapped LBW on 15, but yet again him and Hammett put on a 50 partnership.
The wicket brought Mark Edmonds to the crease and he pushed the score along with Hammett, Kings finally finished up on 282-5 with Hammett on 45 not out and Edmonds 22 not out, their partnership being worth 44.
Kings knew they had to start off sharp in the field and tight with bowling, which was done well by opening bowlers Hammett and Edmonds.
Runs were hard to come by with the tight bowling and finally Edmonds picked up the first wicket. Then, in Hammett's last over and with the scoreboard pressure telling, Taylor forced a run out, meaning after 18 overs the score was 42-2.
This great spell of bowling by the leaders of the attack saw Hammett bowl nine overs and take 0-25 and Edmonds also bowl nine, taking 1-17.
George Holland replaced Hammett and Sam Rhymes for Edmonds.
Sam, looking nervous, picked up a wicket to leave himself with figures of 1-31 off four overs.
Walker replaced him to bowl out the last nine overs from the bottom end and he bowled well, taking 1-32.
Holland from the top end bowled really well to take 1-19 off seven, but the following over he did get smashed around the park a little, leaving him with 1-33 after eight overs.
Inch replaced him and found it hard with a not so good spare ball, so Spike took his place at the top end, bowling a tidy spell of three overs for 14 runs taking one wicket.
Yelverton ended up 192-7 after the 45 overs, leaving Kings picking up the win and 18 points from the game.
This was a great team performance, leaving them five points behind Yelverton and 15 clear of Plymouth Civil Service and Roborough.
Things are looking up for Kingsbridge seconds with a strong team for this week's away game at Lewdown.
The team have undoubtedly been helped by having a choice of players instead of having to scratch around for eleven players right up to Saturday morning.