Axminster made it back-to-back wins for the first tie this season as they beat Ivybridge by 12 runs.

Matt Pyle continued his excellent form this season, scoring 88 from the number three slot and the other batsman to catch the eye was Sam Farrow with 33. Brad Cross also chipped in with 430 as Axminster closed on 210-8.

The Ivybridge reply was well placed with ten overs to go and fifty runs required, particular as they still had five wickets in hand.

However, Axminster skipper Paul Miller was approached by 17-year-old Sam Farrow who asked if he could have a go with the ball and the young leg-spinner promptly got rid of the Bridgers skipper Gareth Andrews to break what looked a match-winning partnership. From that point there as only going to be one winner and Farrow finished with 2-14 in four excellent overs. Pyle completed another fine afternoon’s all-round work with a brace of wickets and there were two also for Gary Larcombe as the Ivybridge reply closed on 198.

Axminster skipper Paul Miller said: The youngsters came of age in this game. Sam (Farrow) was terrific and for him to have the confidence to come to the skipper and suggest he can deliver something different was tremendous. There’s a positive feel about things after the back-to-back wins and that will help to breed greater confidence. Once the younger players realise they can deliver match-winning contributions they’ll grow in confidence.”

The victory takes the Cloakham Lawns side to within nine points of sixth placed Plymstock and just 21 off second-in-the-table Chudleigh!

On Saturday Miller’s men entertain a Shobrooke Park side that sit fourth in the table having won three and lost two of their six matches so far.

It was not so rosy with the Axminster 2nd XI as they were forced to concede their scheduled match with Bideford and so have been deducted 10 points as per league rule. Club captain Miller says: “I think everything came to a head at the weekend win terms of availability and the fact that many of the younger players are also tied into school exams. It seemed everybody was unavailable for the Bideford game. However, one or two players are coming back now. Dan Fuzzard is expected back shortly from Australia and Nick Taylor is back for the 1st XI this coming weekend after missing last week through a wedding. That all suggests that availability for the 2nds will be much better this coming Saturday.”