Devon B

TAVISTOCK visited the picturesque Stoke Gabriel ground on Saturday knowing it was a must win fixture to keep promotion hopes alive.

Batting first Aaron Churchill took 16 of the first over but he and Rhys Davies departed soon after leaving Tavistock on a wobbly 24-2. Ian Grey and Dave Manning re-built the innings taking the score to 90 before Grey was caught. Tim Pope joined Manning and they provided great entertainment putting on 135 in 75 minutes. Pope's innings was undoubtedly his best of the season. He had been batting well on most occasions but this innings was a pinnacle and included three sites in his 63.

manning was his usual fluent self, punishing the bad ball and scoring another century reaching it with a huge six. He finished on 119 which ensured that 288 would be competitive.

If batting had been relatively easy for Tavistock, Stoke Gabriel were in for a shock when Travis Muller tore down the hill, before they could catch breathe they were 5-5. Muller had a hat-trick and clean bowled four of them, game over. However, they put up dogged resistance. Alex and Bertram, Seb Ainsley and Bill Alcock all batted well to gain respectability. Jamie Stephens took three late wickets including the last one in the last over to give Tavistock 20 points.