Upottery see promotion hopes ended with home defeat to Clyst St George

Upottery skipper Mark Joyce could not hide his disappointment after his side had suffered a third Glebe Park defeat of the season, a reversal that effectively ended the villager’s hopes of stepping up into the C Division East next season.

Upottery, until this season, had not been beaten at their Glebe Park home, but back-to-back defeats in June have now been followed by this latest home defeat, a 32-run reversal at the hands of Clyst St George.

The visitors batted first and were eventually bowled out for 183. However, whilst a sub 200 score is normally well within range for the Upottery batsmen, it was not on this occasion as they were then bundled out for 151 with only Matt Broom (30), skipper Joyce (25) and Ryan Pulman (24) making any decent contribution with the bat.

Joyce said: “A bad day all round at the office for us and in a game that ‘really mattered’! We let them [Clyst St George] get 40 runs too many and then our batsmen forgot to turn up in terms of the run chase.”

He continued: “We have certainly blown a great chance to get the 1st XI up a level. I fear we will look back on this as a big opportunity missed.”

There was some good news for the Glebe Park men on Saturday and that was the confirmation that the club’s 2nd XI had sealed promotion and they will start next summer in E Division East, one division below the 1st XI.