DEVON SENIOR CUP SEMI FINAL REPORTS 2008
DEVON CUP SEMI-FINALS
Semi-finals
SANDFORD skipper Richard Foan was throwing plaudits around like c on fetti after his side trounced Brixham by 81 runs to reach the final of the Dev on Senior Cup on Sunday.
It’s next stop Sidmouth in the final at Exeter this coming Sunday after Sandford made 185 for five and then held Brixham to 104 for six in reply in a 25-overs-a-side game.
Foan’s first pat on the back was for umpires Mike Taylor and Gary Aldridge for taking the initiative and brokering a 25-over game to avoid the need to decide the semi on the toss of a coin.
The Sandford captain also heaped praise on opening partner Adrian Small, whose quickfire 78 formed the backb on e of the innings.
And last but not least was the c on tributi on of spin bowler Sim on Ashplant, who made two early breakthroughs that had Brixham on the back foot right from the start of their reply.
Foan said: “The umpires deserve full marks for doing something positive to get the game on .
“The forecast for later in the day was dreadful, but they were keen to get the game played and 25 overs was much better than having to toss a coin.
“Brixham’s captain (Andy Pugh) was up for it, so we were all able to play a game of cricket.
“Smally batted really well to get us up to 141 and I was lucky to get a few as well. Brixham had to attack from the off as the asking rate was high and I opened the bowling with the spinners to put pressure on them to hit the ball.
“Sim on Ashplant got a wicket with his first ball and then he got Andy Pugh out, which was a big wicket for us, and a couple of wickets for Richard Coupe left them with too much to do.”
Sandford got away to a cracking start with Small and Foan hoisting exactly 100 for the first wicket.
Paul Heath (4-27) removed Foan for 50, which came off 42 balls and included a six and five fours, and followed up with Marc Bettis so on after.
Small kept going until he had collected five fours and the same number of sixes — three of them in a single over from Mike Barr on . Barr on , who had bowled three overs for 18 runs, went for 21 in his fourth and didn’t get a fifth.
Brixham got just the start they didn’t want when Ashplant got Richard Ward out at the start of the sec on d over. Pugh went at 19 and then a double strike by Coupe had Brixham on the ropes at 42 for four.
“That was game over as they were getting into 15-an-over territory by then and could on ly bat out time and keep it respectable,” said Foan.
Brixham’s overseas star Farooq Iqbal batted through for an unbeaten 47 before the overs ran out.
Sunday’s Dev on Cup final, the first at Exeter since 1980, is Sandford’s chance to salvage something from a rain-ruined seas on .
As Sidmouth are going for the treble this seas on — the league, the cup and the county’s new Twenty20 competiti on — it will be a hard-fought encounter.
“Sidmouth are like us — a side that likes to play attacking cricket, so it should be a great game to watch,” said Foan.
The start time for Sunday’s final is 1pm.
Sandford 185-5 (A Small 78, R Foan 50, R Tucker 21no; P Heath 4-27), Brixham 104-6 (F Iqball 47no; S Ashplant 2-18, R Coupe 2-21, J Palmer 2-10). Sandford bt Brixham by 81 runs.
NEIL Hancock can’t put a foot wrong right now as one of the heroes of Lord’s was at it again yesterday in the semi-finals of the Devon Cup.
Hancock, who hit a whirlwind half-century for Devon and took three wickets in their win over Berkshire in the final of the Minor Counties Trophy, featured prominently in Sidmouth’s seven-wicket win over Budleigh Salterton.
Hancock was the leading wicket taker for Sidmouth as Budleigh were limited to 120 for nine – Devon captain Bob Dawson top scoring on 56.
Dawson and James Burton (14no) dug Budleigh out of a hole after they had slumped to 60 for five by putting on 51 for the sixth wicket.
Dawson’s demise at 111 was the beginning of the end for Budleigh as they lost two more wickets without scoring a run. The bowler who did the damage? Hancock, who finished with three for 28.
Sidmouth were never unduly troubled on the chase, which was wrapped up with more than six overs to go.
When Josh Bess was dismissed for 28 at 59 for three, Nick Gingell came out to join Hancock and kill off Budleigh once and for all.
Hancock finished on 40 not out and Gingell was unbeaten on 18 when the winning post was passed.
Waiting for Sidmouth in the final at Exeter on August Bank Holiday Sunday will be the winners of the delayed semi between Brixham and Sandford, which will be replayed this Sunday.
Sandford won’t have been too upset when the game was abandoned due to rain as they were 74 for five at the time.
Openers Adrian Small (30) and Matt Theedom (29) took Sandford to 70 without loss, at which point Small got out to Farooq Iqball.
Lee Upham snared Theedom, then Farooq took three in a row for three runs added between them by Richard Foan, David Lye and Marc Bettis.