Ashburton travelled to play a Plymstock side who were top of the table and unbeaten. Skipper Steve Edmonds won the toss and elected to bowl first. James Nicholls and Josh Sumner (35) got the hosts off to a rapid start before Edmonds (9 overs, 2 for 34) dismissed Sumner and Alexandros Karvelas in quick succession. Ryan May (9 overs, 0 for 41) bowled well from the other end to keep the pressure on and with Aditya More (9 overs, 0 for 22) also keeping things tight, Plymstock reached 113 for 2 with 15 overs remaining. Nicholls (94) and Hal Kerton (85) both then cut loose dispatching the ball to all parts of the grounds as Ashes struggled to stem the flow of runs. Chris Yeo (2 for 60) dismissed both and Will Coon (2 for 10) picked up wickets at the death as Plymstock finished on an imposing final total of 261 for 6 in their 45 overs.
With a depleted batting lineup, Ashes needed to start well to have any chance but got off to the worst possible start as Lloyd White was dismissed without scoring and Ashley Berry followed soon after to leave them 22 for 2. Surviving opener Dan Coles and Aditya More set about rebuilding the innings and took the score to 76 before More was dismissed for a well made 35. With the winning target now very unrealistic, Matt Churchill (20) joined Coles and the pair set about obtaining as many batting points as possible and added a further 43 before Coles was trapped LBW for a dogged 42. This sparked a collapse as only Ryan May (16) reached double figures and Ashes were bundled out for 158, just shy of a fourth batting point.
After the match skipper Edmonds said "Another game where we just didn't quite click with bat or ball, but to be fair Plymstock were a strong outfit".
Pictured is Dan Coles who top scored for Ashburton with 42 (credit Conrad Sutcliffe).
Ashburton second team hosted Cornwood thirds and, after being asked to bat, posted a competitive 181 for 3 in their 40 overs. Phil Pascoe (88) and Marcus West (74) the main run getters in a stand of 130 for the second wicket.
Robin Lambert (8 overs, 4 for 18) then took out the the visitors top order at one end while Joshua Wood (49) accumulated runs at the other. When Wood fell to Greg Robinson (8 overs, 1 for 34) the game looked to be heading Ashes way, but Jonathan Way (30) and Joe Davies added 46 to swing the game back in Cornwood's favour. Both then then fell in quick succession to leave Cornwood 151 for 8. Alex Passman (19no) and Josh Cumberland (7no) then knocked off the remainder of the runs as Cornwood won by two wickets with eleven balls to spare.
On Sunday ten man Ashburton travelled to play South Devon in a South Devon League game. Due to weather concerns the match was shortened to 30 overs a side and skipper Churchill won the toss and batted.
Lloyd White and Dan Coles (26) got Ashes off to a rapid start adding 74 for the first wicket. Churchill then joined White and the two added a further 99 for the second wicket before White fell for a hard hit 80. Churchill fell soon after for an equally belligerent 55 leaving Marcus West (21no) and AJ West (11no) to take Ashes to their final total of 221 for 5.
James Allen (47) and Morgan Hargreaves (32) got South Devon off to a flyer adding 100 for the opening wicket before Jack Mitchell (2 for 34) broke the stand by dismissing Hargreaves. Aditya More (1 for 17) then dismissed Allen as the scoring rate slowed. Matt Churchill (2 for 33) and AJ West (2 for 32) picked up regular wickets as only Louis Hargreaves (26) and Jonty Tupman (19) made much headway and South Devon were all out for 200 in the final over, 22 runs short of victory.
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