A COUPLE of weeks ago Sandford's North Devon League team travelled to Hatherleigh with a fairly weakened team and returned after a trouncing by 206 runs.

So last Sunday the question was, would this type of result be repeated with Hatherleigh making the return trip to Creedy Park? The answer was an emphatic no, with Sandford running out victors at Creedy Park by 59 runs.

On a very hot Sunday, Sandford won the toss and decided to bat. Openers Ben Handley and skipper for the day, Shaun Hawkins, made a brisk start putting on 124 for the first wicket, before Ben fell for 65 (nine fours and a six) in the 19th over.

Shaun departed with the score on 143 after a solid 59 (eight fours). It was then left to Tom Maidment 74no (four fours and four sixes) along with Rhys James 20 (one four) to guide Sandford through to 265 for five off of their 40 overs.

For Hatherleigh Jasper Presswell took their First four wickets at a cost of 41 runs in his eight overs.

Hatherleigh's reply got off to a sticky start with two wickets falling early, followed by a third on 52. But it was then left to their overseas star Shreyansh Ghosh to try and retrieve the situation, along with Jasper Presswell.

However, Ghosh was out on 112 for 47 (seven fours), and wickets then fell regularly during the rest of the innings. Presswell was eventually the last man out for 86 (nine fours four sixes) when the score was on 206 after 34.1 overs.

Sandford's young 15-year-old star bowler Will Hopkins was in amongst the thick of things again, claiming 3-38 (eight), aided by Jo Stephenson donning his whites for the first time this season, with 2-39 (five), and the wily old skipper, Shaun Hawkins 3-30 (eight).

And so in the end a 59-run victory was achieved, with some semblance of revenge inflicted on our good friends from Hatherleigh.

This team doesn't have another North Devon League game now until Sunday, June 14 when Westleigh will be the visitors.

This result completed a good weekend for the clubs senior teams with four out of five victories, and one loss by the narrowest of margins.

Phil Matten