SANDFORD Seconds completed the double over near neighbours Exeter Seconds with a solid 44-run victory at the County Ground last Saturday to help in their quest to keep away from the relegation zone.

On paper, the Seconds at the beginning of the season were faced with the unenviable proposition as to who was likely to be left out of the team, such was the available amount of talent open to them. However, rarely do things seem to work out the way they had originally been planned.

Sandford's issues this season have been around players being unavailable in the Firsts, illness which accounted for another player on the morning of the game, and injuries to numerous players, mainly with broken digits. As such, the Seconds have found themselves at the wrong end of the division, but travelled to Exeter last Saturday to play their Seconds, who were just below Sandford in the C Division East, hoping to put these issues aside.

Batting first, Sandford openers Jon James 36 (seven fours) and Pete Steer 22 (three fours) added 51 for the first wicket. Although both departed within a few balls, third team Vice Captain Rob Stoyle 27 (four fours), who'd been asked to step up this week because of the current availability crisis, steadied the ship before he was out at 126 for five.

The lower order was then held together by Ellie Bishop, who is having a great season for the Seconds, and another knock of 48 (seven fours) ensured the Seconds were able to put up a reasonable score, as the innings came to a close after their 45 overs on 204 for eight.

Harrison Gribble three-46 (nine) and Seb Looker two-50 (eight) were Exeter's main wicket-takers.

In reply, Exeter soon found themselves in trouble, as they fell to 41 for three, albeit in only 6.3 overs. It was at this point that Matt Kimber took command, as he tried to set up victory for his team. But at 119 for six he fell for 57 (11 fours) to former Exeter veteran Mike Wilkinson, now a regular Sandford player.

However, it was the “female pocket rocket” Ellie Bishop that tied up the Exeter lower order, and completed an excellent game for herself, as well as the team, with an incredible spell of four-15 from 7.2 overs to help win the game for Sandford, as the Exeter Seconds innings closed on 160 all out after 38.2 overs.

Young 15-year-old opening bowler Jonny Handley two-28 (five) helped create the early damage, and the “old warhorse” Wilko with two-34 (nine) helped ensure a much-needed victory was achieved by 44 runs.

This coming Saturday the Seconds face Upottery, another team in the lower echelons of C Division East, with a 1pm start on the main pitch at Creedy Park.

Phil Matten