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DEVON SENIOR CUP SEMI FINAL REPORTS 2007

DEVON CUP SEMI-FINALS

Sunday, August 12 2007

FORMER Cornwood captain Andy Walter hit a match-winning 75 against his old club to earn Plympton a place in the Devon KO Cup final for the second year running.

   Walter was Plympton's anchorman as the Premier side chased down 199 to win at Oak Park against the A Division underdogs and got them with 10 balls to spare.

   Waiting for Plympton in the final at Torquay on Bank Holiday Sunday are Exeter, who beat Bovey Tracey by 27 runs in the other semi-final.

   Plympton lost in last season's final to Sandford, which was played at Tavistock, and this season are looking to go all the way. Skipper Keith Donohue believes the signs are good.

   “We have a bit of a lull in the league mid-season, but seem to on the upward curve again just at the right time,” said Donohue.

   “You want to be running into form with a big game like a cup final coming up.”

   Donohue praised Walter for his contribution towards getting Plympton into the final again and said the player himself would have derived tremendous satisfaction from his knock.

   “Andy had quite a few years up at Cornwood before he came back to us and that will have helped to motivate him,” said Donohue.

   “It's always nice to do well against your friends and I am sure he will enjoy having the bragging rights for the rest of the season.”

   Donohue was highly complimentary about Cornwood, the way they played and the preparation that went into staging the match.

   “They did the A Division proud on the field by playing well,” said Donohue. “We had to wear them down gradually and it took us a long time to get on top of the game.

   “The match was well staged and the ground was heaving with supporters – more than I have seen at any game I've played in for a long time.”

   Another Cornwood old boy, seamer Jamie Pfeiffer, was among the wickets for Plympton as the home side were held to 198 for six in their 40 overs.

   Pfeiffer took three for 58 in an eight over spell late in the game as Cornwood started to hit out.

   James Horgan (20) and Salman Mohammad (24) gave the Corns a 55-run start then Kevin Willcock came in a made 44 before he was third out at 115, having already lost Salman.

   The second half of the Cornwood innings was largely bits-and-pieces scores until Scott Mansfield hit a quick 36 not out at the end.

   Plympton lost opener Lewis Gregory to a run-out when the reply was in single figures, but a stand of 57 between Walter and Alex Trevathan (32) soon had the chase back on an even keel.

   Walter kept on going until the target was down to 16 to win having lost Trevarthan and Jeremy Williams (16) along the way.

   The biggest stand of the game was the one of 87 with Dan Robothan that ended when Walter was out caught and bowled to Dave Petherbridge. Robotham went on to make an unbeaten 45 as the last few runs were knocked off without mishap.

   Cornwood 198-6 (K Willcock 44, S Mansfield 36no, M Salman 25; J Pfeiffer 3-53), Plympton 199-4 (A Walter 75, D Robotham 45no, A Trevarthan 32). Plympton bt Cornwood by 6 wkts.

BOVEY Tracey didn't quite have the firepower to match Premier Division leaders Exeter as they bowed out of the Devon KO Cup by 27 runs in the semi-final clash on the Recreation Ground.

   Exeter totted up 256 for six in their 40 overs – Aussie run machine Marshall Hood making a top score of 99. Hood had made almost 700 league runs for the city side this season – as well as another 150 in the cup.

   Bovey, who play in the next division down from Exeter, gave it their best shot on the chase before running out of steam – and overs – at 229 for nine.

   Waiting for Exeter in the final, at Torquay on Bank Holiday Sunday in two weeks time, are Plympton, who overcame Cornwood by six wickets in the other semi-final.

   Exeter were 39 for one when Hood replaced Rob Holman in the middle and 185 for nine when Peter Bradley got him out.

   Along the way there was a stand of 123 with former Bovey Tracey favourite Arnie Searle, who made 46 off 52 balls and looked like making a few more before chancing his arm against Andy Fairbairn's out in the deep and coming off second best.

   Hood had already gone by then, bowled one run short of what would have been his maiden Exeter century. He had got his runs at better than run-a-ball rate and dealt severely with anything wayward, as his 17 fours proved.

   Getting Holman and Searle out did little to slow the Exeter run rate as big-hitting Tom Gower laid into the Bovey bowling with gusto.

   Gower slammed 44 not out from just 23 balls with three four and three sixes – two of which sailed over extra-cover to the chagrin of bowler Bradley.

   Gower's late punishment left Bradley with eight-over figures of one for 80. Charlie Carter had the best stats with three for 43.

   Bovey lost opener Arren de Young with only 17 on the board – the first of five victims claimed by Exeter skipper Jon Tipper – followed by Andy Kingdon, who hit out after getting frustrated by spin and was caught by Searle at mid-on off ex-Bovey captain Mark Gribble.

   Bradley soldiered on to reach 28 and had just swung Gribble away over mid-wicket for six when the same bowler got him out heaving across the line.

   Ben Aryes was in and out for eight – Gribble got him too – and at 68 for four it seemed Bovey were out of it. Fifth-wicket pair Matt Makepeace and Andy Fairbairn had other ideas though.

   Makepeace led the way with 63 off 55 balls and hit four fours and four sixes – one a monster that sailed over the two-storey pavilion.

   Fairbairn made 44 off 55 balls as well and while the pair of them were compiling their stand of 103 Bovey were still in the running.

   Unfortunately, the asking rate was creeping up and when Makepeace holed out to Tipper off Simon Bird it was approaching nine an over,

   Skipper Tipper brought himself back on for a second spell and any slender hopes Bovey had soon vanished.

   Bovey captain Chris Bradley battled gamely for 31 not out, but Tipper was nipping out his partners at the other end en route to a five for 51 haul that left Bovey needing 35 to win from the final over with their last pair at the crease.

    Waiting for Exeter in the Bank Holiday Sunday final at Torquay are Plympton, who eased to a six-wicket win over Cornwood in the other semi-final.

    Kevin Willcock (44) and Scott Mansfield (36no) were Cornwood's main run makers in a total of 198 for six.

Opener Andy Walter anchored the Plympton chase with 75 – when he got out the target was 16 to win – leaving Dan Robotham (45no) to wrap things up.

  Exeter 256-6 (M Hood 99, A Searle 46, T Gower 44, G Lammonby 32; C Carter 3-43), Bovey Tracey 229-9 (M Makepeace 63, A Fairbairn 44, C Bradley 31, P Bradley 28; J Tipper 5-51, M Gribble 2-45).   Exeter bt Bovey Tracey by 27 runs.

 

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