Devon Cricket League 1st XI C Division

Kingsbridge 247-7, Chagford 143 all out. Kingsbridge 1st X1 (20 points) beat Chagford 1st X1 (5 points)

by 104 runs 

Kingsbridge got their league season off to a excellent start with a crushing victory over Chagford on Saturday, continuing where they had left off at the end of last season.

Kings welcomed back Angus Watson and James Shepherd to the team after a season's absence. 

With changes to league rules including the introduction of straight win or lose to matches and batting powerplays, it should prove to be a more exciting league this season. 

Kingsbridge won the toss and skipper James Fletcher decided to bat first.

It was proving to be a good decision as openers Fletcher and James Westlake made a steady start without any real alarms.

However, with the score on 45 in the 15th over, Kings lost two wickets in two balls with Fletcher and Watson falling victim. 

Westlake was then joined by James Shepherd at the crease and together the pair mitigated a tricky little spell.

Momentum in the innings was now building as Shepherd hit three fours in consecutive overs.

However, he was dismissed for a breezy 37 leaving the score at 94-3, which then became 104-4 as James Ellis departed for 5. 

New to the crease was Chris Bowles and after a quick look at the bowling attack he soon continued the momentum of the innings.

At the other end Westlake was looking composed and was now set for a big score as he passed 50.

Bowles and Westlake put on a quickfire partnership of 75 in less than 10 overs before Bowles was dismissed for 39, leaving the score on 179-5 in the 38th over. 

Kingsbridge continued to hit the boundaries and propel their score past 200.

Westlake was continuing his excellent innings at the crease and was nearing his ton.

However, he was dismissed for 96, just four short of a deserved century. 

It was an impressive knock by Westlake, who stabilised the innings when wickets fell around him. 

Kingsbridge finished their innings on 247-7 from 45 overs. With a more than decent score on the board, Kings knew that Chagford had to come out and play their shots if they had any chance of winning the match, and so this proved. The opposition made a reasonable start to their innings and it wasn't until the 12th over that Kings made the first breakthrough thanks to an excellent catch from wicketkeeper Matt Peach off the bowling of Neal Peach.

This wicket sparked a batting collapse as Chagford, knowing they had to continue to play with attacking intent, went from 38-0 in the 12th over to 77-7 at the end of the 22nd over. The bowling in particular from James Rosewarne (2-14 off seven overs), Bhanu de Silva (3-29 off six overs) and James Shepherd (2-30 off five overs) restricted Chagford to losing regular wickets. 

Thinking the game was almost over, Kings became slightly complacent and it wasn't until the 31st over with the score on 140 that the next wicket was taken, thanks again to a smart catch from Matt Peach off the bowling of Watson.

Watson then took his second wicket of the innings in the same over before the impressive Rosewarne wrapped up the innings in the following over. Chagford were dismissed for 143 in 31.1 overs.

This was an impressive team performance and much is hoped of the same when they travel to Clyst St George on Saturday.

The club would like to thank Flear House Interiors for their kind sponsoring of the match ball.