ABBOTSKERSWELL’S relegation season in the Tolchards DCL A Division ended on a low note with a four-wicket defeat at home to Hatherleigh.
Skipper Ed Smout-Cooper, who usually opens the batting, went in at 91 for seven and top-scored with 47. Liam Hurse, who opened instead of the skipper was next best on 32. Subtract 28 extras and there was not a lot from the rest.
Hatherleigh stuck to their week-in, week-out bowling arrangements and were rewarded with wickets for the usual suspects: Charlie Neilson (4-31), Shrey Ghosh (2-19) and Rob Cockwill (3-24).
Neilson opened up with 34 before a mini-collapse from 67 for one to 82 for four briefly slowed the chase.
Ghosh got his head down for a match-winning 59 not out that steered Hatherleigh to victory, despite occasional disruptions from Par Singh (3-23).
For Hatherleigh 2nd XI, the season ended on a low note when they were 80-run losers at home to Kenn.
Opener Chris May (37) guided Kenn to 63 for two, then Ben Chaloner took over with a rapid 80 off 54 balls that took the Villagers to 154 for four.
Top-ups from Lyle Muir (22no) and skipper James Mason (26) helped Kenn reach 238 for eight in their 45 overs.
Luke Westacott (3-55) and Alfin Saju (2-35) had the most success among the Hatherleigh bowling cohort.
Hatherleigh’s reply started steadily – if slowly – with top three Cameron Rowlands (42), Kirt Forgham (26) and Zak Spears (29) all chiselling out runs.
Once Rowlands and Forgham departed, only skipper Danny Forrester (25) made much impression against the Kenn bowling.
Spears, who went in first wicket down, was the seventh man out during a terminal collapse from 153 for five to 158 all out.
May (2-36) got into Hatherleigh’s middle order. Mason (3-18) and Peter Chislett (3-20) flushed out the lower order.
Hatherleigh finished the campaign four places off the bottom of the D Division West.
Finally, Yelverton skipper David Ackford believes relegation is not the end of the world for the Langton Park club.
A 47-run defeat by visiting Sandford 2nd XI confirmed relegation as inevitable. It had been on the cards for a while.
Said Ackford: “Despite relegation it has been a positive season for the club.
“Looking forward to a season in the D Division with some of our younger players.”
Sandford opener Jon James followed his half-century against Paignton 2nd XI seven days earlier with 62 more towards a total of 221 for eight. Archie Osborne (59) and Pete Steer (34) both chipped in.
Alistair Horler, one of Yelverton’s up-coming players, topped the bowling table with three for 35.
Yelverton got to 123 for two relatively comfortably with runs for Mike Lemmings (26), Ackford (34), Ben Grove (36) and Toby Beresford-Power (24). Then it all went pear-shaped.
Wickets tumbled to Ben Handley (6-19) and Matt Theedom (3-44) as Yelverton nosedived to 174 all out.