SANDFORD’S North Devon League Cricket team travelled to Westward Ho! last Sunday to play a Division One match against Barnstaple, Littleham and Westward Ho! (BHL), but unfortunately returned home with a 48-run loss.

BHL rattled up a total of 264 all out from their 40 overs, with J. Weeks top scoring with 102no from only 85 balls (13 fours, four sixes), with some good all-round contributions from F. Gallie 32 (five fours), J. Hayter 32 (five fours) and veteran Ian Hayter 23 (two fours and a six).

Sandford's young bowling attack were despatched to all parts of the Westward Ho! ground, but 17-year-old Ollie Knight still managed to pick up four wickets (4-40 (8)), along with a good effort from Toby Pennington 2-49 (8).

In reply Sandford's first three batters made batting look easy, with openers Joe Hopkins 63 (nine fours and a six) and Joe Saunders 26 (four fours) adding 78 for the first wicket. After Saunders departed the runs kept flowing as Hoppo was joined by Ben Chaloner in a second wicket partnership of 42.

However, once Hoppo was out the runs started to dry up, and although Ben went on to score 50 from only 38 balls (eight fours), once he was out with the score on 178 for five, it was then a procession of wickets as BLW's captain, former Sandford player Jack Ford, saw off the lower order with a spell of 4-17 (6), and Sandford were eventually bowled out for 216 in 30.4 overs to inflict a 48-run defeat.

Yes it may have been a disappointing result, but at the end of the day the reason for re-entering the N. Devon League again this year was to give some of our youngsters the opportunities to play in senior cricket.

Phil Matten