SANDFORD’S First Eleven had the better of the conditions at Bovey Tracey and used them to their advantage to come away with a nine-wicket victory.
Winning the toss Richard Foan invited the hosts to bat and in a rain-interrupted innings the home side limped to 135 for eight.
The wickets were shared between the six bowlers used with Jamie Palmer and Charlie Fitzroy picking up two apiece.
Richard Foan (61) then shared in an opening stand of more than 100 with Freddie Filor (40 not out) and when Richard was dismissed Charlie Fitzroy made a quick 19 off only 11 balls to see Sandford home with more than eight overs to spare.
The home game this weekend against Hatherleigh is now of incredible importance. Lose and it really is A Division cricket next season but victory will mean that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel to aim for.
Hopefully this time they will not allow their visitors to grasp victory from the jaws of defeat.
The Second Eleven didn’t win due to the weather but they too put in a much-improved batting performance.
Ryan Glass (63) was top scorer, having been given a run out in the Second Eleven’s to have time in the middle and he was joined by Simon Saunders (36) in an opening stand of 93.
The weather interruptions affected the concentration of the batters as three wickets were lost for seven runs after a rain break but Brian Leach (34) and Dan Uren (27), continuing his recent good form, steered the total to 204 for eight off 40 overs.
Whether this would have been a winning total was never tested as play was called off 25 minutes after tea.
If the side is of a similar strength this weekend then it is hoped the Second Eleven could pick up a good result against North Devon in their fight to avoid relegation.
On Sunday the Second Eleven has a home game against Witheridge. Not fulfilling a fixture recently has seen this side drop to the bottom of the league so hopefully the team can correct this against a side just above them in the league.
This weekends fixtures at Creedy Park:
Saturday, August 4 First Eleven v Hatherleigh, 12.30pm start.
Sunday, August 5 Second Eleven v Witheridge, 1.30pm start.
Mike Canning