IN a previous Sandford Cricket Club report I highlighted the importance of Chris Theedom, head groundsman, and his intrepid team of volunteers who prepare the ground each week for the players to just turn up and enjoy their game.

Another group of volunteers who play such an important role on match days are the scorers.

Alan Carbert, affectionately known as Bert, scores for the First XI but the club is lucky enough to have additional scorers such as Nicky Radnor who officiates for the Second XI and Louise James for the Third XI.

Their Saturday’s are filled recording each delivery of the afternoon and keeping the scoreboard up-to-date.

When there is bad weather around that could affect the playing conditions they have calculators at the ready to help reach the revised targets.

Sandford Cricket Club is very lucky to have three such dedicated individuals who quite often have to do this all on their own as other clubs have much greater difficulty in finding such volunteers.

It can be very hot in the wooden structure so I am sure that Bert was extremely happy that on the warmest day of the season so far the First XI rattled up a nine-wicket victory at home to Paignton with more than half of their overs remaining.

Jackson Thompson has come in to his own in the second half of the season and had Paignton in all sorts of trouble bowling his 10 overs and taking four for 25.

There was great support from Andrew Buzza who took three for 39 and skipper Richard Foan who took two for 13 as Paignton were bowled out for 172.

The prize wicket of the Paignton overseas batsman was taken by Harrison Jones and he continued his fine form with the bat by plundering an undefeated 91 off only 58 balls.

Sandy Allen joined him at the top of the order and hit a quick fire 43 off 28 balls.

When Sandy was out Adam Small joined Harrison and was undefeated on 43 as the winning score was reached with an incredible 27 overs to spare!

An away trip to bottom club Plymouth beckons this weekend so hopefully no banana skins as the season comes to a very exciting finish.

The Second XI game only lasted two-thirds of its natural length which in the very hot conditions was extremely welcome.

Exeter won the toss and batted but were dismissed for 125 in just 30 overs. It was one of those days when not much went right for Exeter as Brian Leach took three for 32 with good support from James Theedom, two for 38, and Tylor Morgan Huggett, two for 25, which at one point even saw Tylor appealing from his bottom!

The Sandford batsmen came and went and it was an important knock of 43 from Archie Osbourne which swung the game.

Acting skipper, Chris Jelley, finished undefeated on 22 but the result was in the balance until the winning run was scored and a victory secured by three wickets.

A home fixture against leaders Uplyme is next this weekend.

For the second week in a row the Third XI won their game without a ball being bowled as Axminster Second XI couldn’t raise a side!

It would be great to get out of this league just so that cricket each week is more likely and therefore a good win this weekend against Woodbury and Newton St Cyres would help in achieving this goal.

Fixtures at Creedy Park:

Saturday, August 20 - Second XI v Uplyme at 1pm.

Mike Canning