Ottery St Mary’s bowlers were once again doing their best to end the Otters run without a win this season in their Devon League B Division campaign.

Playing away at Shobrooke Park, skipper Will Harrison won the toss and chose to take the new ball.

Harrison opened the bowling along with Jack Malden and the pair gave the home batsmen plenty to think about and both had success, each claiming a wicket with the home score on 30.

A further 61 runs were added before a third wicket was claimed with Matt Reed holding the catch of the bowling of George Southall-Brown. It was a Harrison catch off the bowling of Rob Crabb that saw his side net a fourth wicket, but Shobrooke Park looked well set as they went on to reach 156-4 before Crabb began to have success and the wickets tumbled! Shobrooke Park slipped from that 156-4 to 182 all out in just 41.1 overs with Crabb returning the impressive figures of 5-27 from 78.1 overs.

Matt Reed bagged a brace; his figures being 2-23 from five overs and there were single wickets for skipper Harrison (1-12 from six excellent overs), Jack Malden (1-26 from seven) and George Southall-Brown (1-51 from nine).

Sadly, and not for the first time this season, the Ottery batting could not match the bowling and they were bundled out for just 87 in 34.1 overs.

Only opener Alex Clements, with 14, recorded a double figure score from the top eight batters.

It was left to number nine Jack Malden to ensure the reply reached a score exceeding 50! Malden strode to the wicket with his side 37-7, but he took the attack to the home bowling and ended up scoring 38 from just 35 balls faced, hitting five fours. He and Rob Crabb took the score from that 37-7 to 83-8. Just four more runs were added by the last two wickets as Ottery slipped to a 12th defeat in as many B Division outings.

This Saturday the Otters entertain Thorverton.