Devon seconds D West

Bridestowe seconds v Dartington and Totnes thirds

BRIDESTOWE seconds continued their six-game winning run at home to Dartington and Totnes thirds.

Home skipper Lee Jutson won the toss and with a strong batting line up and dry pitch, elected to bat first. Batstone (21) batted patiently and saw off the bulk of the dangerous Harvard’s opening six-over spell. Fellow opener Neil Gritffiths (4) opened his account with a boundary, but skied one the next ball to bring Jack Hatton to the crease.

Hatton and Batstone then put on 91 runs before the latter was trapped lbw. That brought together father and son Jack and Phil Hatton, who crafted a brutal 197 run partnership. The pair smashed the ball to all parts of the ground before a tiring Jack (129 from 90 balls) eventually spooned one up to mid-off to end an excellent innings.

Phil Hatton went on to complete his hundred (101 from 73 balls) before electing to retire. Another four wickets fell, with few highlights apart from a solid 23 not out from Ian Jutson. The total posted was 360-7, the biggest ever league total at Bridestowe.

Despite the mammoth total, skipper Jutson stuck to the script by opening the bowling with long spells from him (7-3-12-1) and Harris (7-0-32-3).

Harris dismissed Harvard early with a ball that jagged away and took an edge that was comfortably pouched by Phil Hatton behind the stumps. 

Wickets fell regularly, although there was some resistance for about 10 overs where Chris Roud and Paul Raven shut up shop.

Eventually Kieran Lee (2-2), who bowled the best over of the match left arm over wide on the crease and had the batman hopping away from steeply rising and accurate deliveries.