Tamar A division

Milton Abbot v Tavistock

THE first game of the season for the newly merged Tavistock and Ordulph teams proved to be a tough baptism of fire at Milton Abbot on Saturday.

With only 10 men and put in to bat it proved to be a real test on a difficult wicket. Exploiting the wicket to its full the Milton opening attack of Riggs and Patrick soon had the Tavistock top order in all sorts of trouble. Within 15 overs most of the top order were already back in the pavilion with Riggs taking two wickets and Patrick one.

Dhanjal (20) dug in and tried his best to keep things together but with his dismissal to Barber (3-29) it was left to the Tavistock Tail to try and salvage something.

A pleasing 13 from Bellamy and a robust 15 from young Alford were the only positives Tavistock could take from an otherwise mediocre batting display. Credit to the Milton Bowlers who used the conditions to best effect and restricted Tavistock to a modest 95.

After tea the bowlers gave Tavistock some hope in reply with Chidzoy taken the wicket of Vowler, and Folley removing big hitter Jenkins caught and bowled.

Further wickets of Crocker, run out, and Riggs falling to Dhanjal left Tavistock thinking they might just pull this off. The loss of Tavistock's Sherrell off injured meant that Tavistock were down to nine men.

Milton's Baxter and Holding restored control to the Milton batting and progressed the score with no further scares to wrap things up with 15 overs to spare.

This was a convincing well deserved win for Milton and Tavistock look forward to next week and the return of several missing players.