Honiton beaten by table-topping Whimple

Honiton went down by five wickets when they travelled to D Division East table-topping Whimple for a local derby.

On a wicket that had been kept good and dry by the home side, Honiton batted first and, apart from a couple of players, produced a collectively poor performance with the bat to see their side bowled out for 104!

Kev Kelly (35) and Pete Maltravers (29) were the exceptions on an otherwise disappointing show with the willow. Phil Hope (4-24) and Steve Hathaway (3-42), did most of the damage for the home side who were then led to a five wicket win by Matt Brown (27). Harry Wright worked up some pace for Honiton to finish with 3-27.

Josh Cann, who joined Honiton in midweek – to link up again with Dad Brian - after transferring from A Division side Bradninch, began his Honiton career with a duck, but he did turn his arm over and got some terrific swing!

Honiton skipper Rob Ingram said: “We had one of those days where things went wrong at the wrong time! Having scored 104 we might have had a chance when they batted had we not been so sloppy I the field. Indeed, had we got another 20 or 30 runs the end result might have been very different.”

On Saturday Honiton, who sit sixth, but are just four points of second place in a congested table, host Tiverton who currently sit second!

Ingram says: “We need to bounce back and I’ll be looking for a marked improvement in the fielding department. I am sure the team will deliver.”