Another big unbeaten Gooding knock guides Kilmington to victory

Kilmington kept up their pursuit of C Division East leaders, all-conquering Sidmouth II, thanks to an emphatic 10-wicket win over Braunton.

The North Devon side batted first and scored 157 with Kilmington skipper Brett Garner taking 3-48 and two other bowlers, Rob Crabb (2-41) and Maurice Beviss (2-19), both bagging a brace.

The run chase was led, for the second week running, by Tom Gooding who, seven days after just missing out on an unbeaten double hundred – he scored 184 not out in the win over Budleigh Salterton, he led the line once again in superb style and was not out 95 with Matt Rockett unbeaten on 48 as Kilmington chalked up an eighth win in 10 outings this season.

Skipper Garner said: “We were very pleased with the afternoons work. We wanted to bank the maximum 20 points and needed to bowl them out relatively cheaply to give us a good chance of getting all 20 and the plan worked a treat.”

On batsman Gooding and his rich vein of form, Garner says: “Tom [Gooding] is seeing it like a football and playing with real confidence. Sadly we don’t have him with us this coming weekend as once again it’s a case of five or six back and anther three out! Hopefully we will be able to field a first choice full-strength XI before the season ends!”

On the continued pursuit of leaders Sidmouth II, Garner says: “There’s no way we are going to concede. It’s frustrating that, I this season when we are doing so well, we have Sidmouth II in the division, but it is what it is and we are going to keep up the chase for as long as it takes and it wont be for the want of trying that we don’t chase them down!”

On Saturday Kilmington travel to Ottery St Mary, who dropped to fourth after defeat at the hands of Exeter II. Kilmington sit second, 23 points shy of leaders S8idmouth and 24 ahead of third placed Alphington.