ANOTHER weekend of cricket action is upon us and the weather is expected to be equally as positive in the main.
Kicking things off in the Premier Division of the Tolchards Devon Cricket League and Bovey Tracey 1st XI will be hoping to finally snap their unwanted losing record.
11 May is the date of Bovey’s most recent victory, coming by seven wickets over Plympton, and they have been beaten in six league outings since then.
Paignton could be the perfect opponent for these fortunes to change as they are just one place and one win ahead of Bovey Tracey.
At the same level, Cornwood 1st XI are faring much better and they have a third vs fourth-placed clash to look forward to.
The Wood swept Paignton aside last weekend by a whopping 82 runs and how they would love a similar outcome when they travel to Exmouth.
There are three Tavistock-based teams in Division A, in the form of Bridestowe, Hatherleigh and Tavistock.
Fifth-placed Bridestowe face an away clash with Plymstock whilst the struggling Tavi cross paths with promotion hopefuls Plymouth.
Hatherleigh aren’t having the best of seasons but they are still in a much better position than Abbotskerswell, who currently bring up the rear- these two will go toe-to-toe tomorrow.
Lastly in Division A, we have Torquay and Kingskerswell who are involved in a tight battle for second place currently. Mid-table Kilmington await them.
Bovey Tracey 2nd XI’s derby day with Chudleigh 1st XI is perhaps the pick of the bunch in Division B this weekend.
The latter have lost seven of their eight league games to date with the other being cancelled and so if they are to steer towards a great escape, then Chudleigh need to start winning straight away.
A mere three points separates four teams in the middle of the pack, a group which includes Bovey and Ipplepen, so there is potential for a lot of movements.
Talking of Ipplepen and in a battle between the Mid-Devon Advertiser and the South Hams Gazette, they will host Stoke Gabriel.
Stoke are the closest challengers to Barton’s dominance at the B summit so it won’t be easy for the Pens’, who lost by a seismic 93 runs to Bideford last time out.
The second of three MDA vs SHG derbies sees South Devon CC’s 1st XI visit third-place Cornwood 2nd XI in C Division West.
Both teams were actually beaten last weekend and so the stakes are high when it comes to bouncing back.
Ashburton will face Plymouth 2s, Yelverton will visit Sandford 2s and there is local pride on the line between Kingsbridge and Ivybridge also.
So what the other fixtures featuring local clubs?
D Division West:
Ivybridge 2nd XI vs Barton 2nd XI
Dartington and Totnes 1st XI vs PCSR 1st XI
Abbotskerswell 2nd XI vs Ipplepen 2nd XI
Kenn 1st XI vs Hatherleigh 2nd XI
E Division West:
Paignton 3rd XI vs Teignmouth and Shaldon 2nd XI
Chagford 1st XI vs Whitchurch Wayfarers 1st XI
Plympton 2nd XI vs Lewdown 1st XI
Tavistock 2nd XI vs Torquay and Kingskerswell 2nd XI
F Division West:
Chudleigh 2nd XI vs Brixham 2nd XI
Cornwood 3rd XI vs South Brent 1st XI
Stoke Gabriel 2nd XI vs Bovey Tracey 3rd XI
Stokeinteignhead 1st XI vs Kingsbridge 2nd XI
South Devon 2nd XI vs Babbacombe 2nd XI
G Division West:
Whitchurch Wayfarers 2nd XI vs Ashburton 2nd XI
Yelverton 2nd XI vs Cornwood 4th XI
Ivybridge 3rd XI vs Hatherleigh 3rd XI
Plympton 3rd XI vs Ipplepen 3rd XI
H Division West:
Lewdown 2nd XI vs Yelverton 3rd XI
Bovey Tracey 4th XI vs Chagford 2nd XI