SOME perceive the North Devon League as vastly inferior to the rigours of the Devon League but it still offers competitive cricket on a Sunday.

Games are arranged to suit the two clubs involved and Bill Matten, Sandford Cricket Club Fixtures Secretary, does a superb job in making sure that there are no “double headers” with both sides playing on the same afternoon and thus a requirement for 22 players.

These fixtures allow many of the Club’s young developing cricketers to sample the additional rigours of adult cricket but it also allows the senior players to have time in the middle to improve their game rather than just relying on the Thursday evening net session.

So far the First Eleven have played three fixtures and the Second Eleven do not start their campaign until this coming weekend.

Way back in mid-April an away fixture to North Molton opened the season. Skipper Richard Foan won the toss and had no hesitation in batting.

He (65) and Ryan Glass (103) then shared a partnership of 152 as Sandford put together a total of 254 for nine.

North Molton could only manage 193 in reply as Jack Prescott took three wickets and there were two each for Liam Gardner, Richard Foan and Neil Bettiss.

The following week Sandford played hosts to Belstone and again chose to bat first. The total of 205 was built around Neil Bettiss (53), Adam Small (48*), Liam Gardner (34) and Richard Foan (27).

At Creedy Park that is only an average score and so it proved as Belstone came within 11 runs of victory. There were three wickets apiece for Jack Prescott and Chris Simpson.

I mentioned the opportunity of getting some time in the middle and this paid dividends for Shaun Hawkins in the most recent game.

Maybe the pressures of captaining the Saturday Second Eleven weigh heavily on his shoulders when batting in the Devon league as he has struggled to get runs.

Against Newton Tracey he was given the chance to open the batting and took full advantage by scoring 117 off only 72 balls.

Pete Steer (28), Liam Gardner (24*), and Adrian Small (21) all pitched in as Sandford chased down a total of 232 with more than six overs to spare.

There were two wickets each for Harvey Blake, Shaun Hawkins, Richard Foan and Ryan Glass.

So three games into the season and three wins. The big games will be against North Devon and Hatherleigh.

In between these fixtures Sandford played in the Devon County 20/20 competition which has replaced the Devon Senior Cup.

It was supposed to be a three-team tournament but Exeter pulled out at the last minute. Having played them the previous day in a very close Devon league match the opponents were once again Bradninch.

Sandford were put in to bat and scored 151 with Neil Bettiss (51), Ryan Glass (32) and Shaun Hawkins (26*) the main contributors.

A nail biting finish then followed as Bradninch failed by just two runs to secure victory thanks to three wickets apiece for Jamie Palmer and Chris Simpson

Fixtures this weekend at Creedy Park:

Saturday, May 26: First Eleven v Bovey Tracey, start 12.30pm.

Sunday, May 27: Sunday Second Eleven v Barnstaple and Pilton, start 1.30pm.

Footnote: Apologies from last week’s article but Faisal did not take 33 ODI wickets for Pakistan as this was the number of runs he conceded when bowling and Sandford Second Eleven play in the Devon League Division D East and not West.

Mike Canning