WHEN a club has an injury crisis and so many unavailable players for whatever reasons, it's always the lower division teams that have to suffer.

However, this being the case, it is amazing how whatever team skipper Jason Matten seems to put out, they still keep winning. This week he had to recruit two of his younger players' dads to play.

Last Saturday Barnstaple and Pilton Thirds made the trip to Creedy Park, but having been asked to bat first, they soon found themselves in trouble against the bowling of 15-year-old Samson Brooks.

Only one batter, Frankie Allen 26 (four fours), offered any resistance as the B&P innings came to a quick end at 95 in only 25.3 overs.

Samson took the bowling honours by dismissing the first three batters at a cost of only 10 runs in five overs. But once he came off it was left to 14-year-old Jimmy Orchard four-21 (7.3) to winkle out the majority of the rest of the order. Another 14-year-old, Will Matten two-six (three) weighed in towards the end, including the important wicket of top scorer Allen.

With the game looking won already, Sandford Fourths made a right pig’s ear of trying to score the winning runs.

Having slumped to 29 for five and then 62 for seven, it was left to former first XI skipper David Gibson, playing a rare game these days, to stroke his way to 17no (two fours) alongside skipper Jason Matten 19 (four fours) to guide their team to a two wicket victory at 96 for eight in only 22.1 overs.

As a result the Fourths have now moved up to second in their H East Division, and this Saturday they travel to Westleigh to play North Devon Fourths with a 1pm start.

Phil Matten