With no cricket being played at local level - there is s Test Match being played next week between England and the West Indies - we have to rely on past action for our current cricket ‘fix’, writes Stephen Birley.

Twelve months ago this coming weekend, local clubs were meeting on matchday 10 of the 2019 campaign and that was also a matchday that marked the first round of matches in the second half of the season.

Season 2019

Ottery St Mary 1st XI were two-wicket winners of their C Division East meeting with Shobrooke Park. The Mid Devon side batted first and Will Harrison (3-35) and Jody Clements (2-23) were the successful bowlers in a closing total of 210-6. Alex Clements (78) and Harsha Sinnappuliyanage(38) then led the Otters to a two wicket win, sealed with just one ball to spare! Ottery 2nd XI were 80-run winners of their E Division East home meeting with Countess Wear 1st XI. Dan Jeacock top scored with a run-a-ball 81 and Richard Jackson chipped in with 74 - the pair putting on 113 for the fourth wicket. Other runs came from Albert Southall-Brown (42), Luke Tierney (36) and Barry Flicker (24) as Ottery closed on 301-7. Brothers Luke and Jake Tierney then combined to win the game for their side. Luke claimed figures of 5-27 from nine overs while Jake’s return was 4-39 from nine over as Countess Wear were bowled out for 221.

Season 2018

Matchday 10 fixtures were played on July 7 and Ottery St Mary 1st XI w were well beaten in their C Division away game at Exeter II. The County Ground side batted first and closed on 243-7 with the bowling honours going to Sam Brook (3-49) The Otters were then bowled out inside 26 overs for 129 with the only batsmen to make any sort of impression being Jack Malden (48) and Jody Clements (38). Ottery 2nd XI went down by six wickets in their F Division East home meeting with Sampford Peverell and Tiverton. The Otters batted first and were restricted to 186-8 with the key contributors being Barry Flicker (46), Eddie Rudolph (29) Albert Southall-Brown (25) and Jake Tierney (23). The Mid Devon side lost only four wickets in their successful run chase with no home bowler getting more than one wicket.

Season 2017

July 1 saw the playing of the matchday 10 games and Ottery 1st XI began the second half of their season with a 68-run defeat at the hands of Seaton. There were two wickets each for Joe Birch, Jody Clements and Robb Crabb as Seaton were restricted to 213-7, but that was enough to win the game for Ottery were then bowled out for 145 with the only knocks of note being 36, from Henry Mutter and 30, from Dan Flower. Ottery II were 33-run winners of their 2nd XI B Division visit to Lewdown. The Otters batted first and had been 160-5 before a collapse saw them all out for 166 in 42 overs. The only contributions of note came from Richard Jackson (37) and Tim Beattie (27). However, that was enough to see Ottery to victory as George Mutter (4-44), Albert Southall-Brown (2-11) and Dan Jeacock (2-5) combined to bowl the home side out for 133 in one ball shy of 31 overs. Ottery 3rd XI were beaten by four wickets by Feniton, despite a century from Julian Page. Page faced 131-balls for his 101, a knock that included 14 fours. Such was the Page dominance of the Ottery batting effort that the ‘best of the rest’ was the 21 scored by George Mills and the other eight batsmen managed just 23 runs between them as the innings closed on 171-8. Jake Pond (3-27), Matt Jeacock (2-27) and Aiden Pearcey (1-20) were the successful wicket takers as Feniton eased home.

Season 2016

Matchday 10 fixtures were played on July 2 and Ottery St Mary 1st XI went down by seven wickets in their game at Plymstock. Rob Crabb, with an unbeaten 42, together with Dan Flower (37) and John Tierney (25) led the Otters to their close of 191-7. However, the home side romped to victory on 192-3 with Matt Reed claiming two of the wickets. Ottery 2nd XI lost their A Division East 2nd XI game against Plymstock 2nds, going down by 18 runs. George Southall-Brown (3-31), Dan Jeacock (3-28) and Harry Peters (3-33) combined to bowl Plymstock out for 219. Alex Clements then hit a sublime unbeaten 101 from 136 balls, and Richard Jackson chipped in with 21, but Otters came up just short on 201-7. In D Division East 2nd XI, Ottery III were crushed by 10 wickets in their meeting with Whimple II. Ottery were bowled out for 57 in just 27 overs with the only batsmen into double figures being Eddie Rudolph (11) and Richard Glanville (10no). Whimple took little time in wrapping up a comprehensive win.

Season 2015

Saturday, July 4 saw the matchday 10 games and Ottery St Mary 1st XI began the second half of their C Division East 1st XI campaign with a seven wicket win over Filleigh. The North Devon side were bowled out for 157, passed for the loss of just three wickets by the Otters. Ottery 2nd XI lost their B Division East 2nd XI game against Plymouth III by 62 runs. Dan Jeacock, on as fifth change, took the Ottery bowling honours with a return of 4-47 and fourth change Kevin Kelly took 3-30 as Plymouth III close don 306-9. Alex Clements then hit an unbeaten 103 and Joe Henkus weighed in with 51, but Ottery closed well short on 244-8. Ottery III were unable to field a team and had to concede their D Division East 2nd XI game against Honiton II.