Ottery St Mary 2nd XI openers Dan Jeacock and Dan Flowser powered their side to an emphatic nine wicket home win over Bradninch 2nds and the Otters’ success means they can now complete a ‘great escape’ from the Tolchards Devon League E Division East on the final matchday of the campaign.
Indeed, the Otters head into Saturday's 18th and final league outing of the campaign sitting outside the bottom three and a win - and win - will do when they travel up the North Devon Link Road to face Bideford, Littleham and Westward Ho!
Ottery skipper Dan Jeacock lost the toss and that was always going to mean his side facing a baking hot afternoon in the outfield.
The Bradninch openers gave their side a 51 run start before a Joe Birch delivery was chopped onto his stumps by Will Birley (2).
A Luke Tierney catch gave first change bowler Ashok Prassaid a wicket to reduce the visitors to 64-2, but a 50 run partnership between brothers-in-law Paul Nott and Chris Acton saw the visitors to 114 when Rob Johns got the first of two leg before wicket decisions to send back Nott for 58. In the very next over, Johns also trapped Acton leg before for 21 and, when Johns hit the stumps in his seventh over, he had 3-28 and the visitors were 132-5.
Wickets continued to fall with fourth change Max Moore bagging a brace, his first courtesy of an Ashok Prassad catch and his second when he knocked over stumps to end the innings.
There was also a Luke Tierney throw - a superb one from the boundary - that brought about a run out and he also held a catch to give brother Jake [Tierney] a wicket as Bradninch were bowled out for 177 in 39.2 overs.
Club chairman Rob Johns took the bowling honours with his return of 3-28 from seven overs and the other Ottery figures were: Joe Birch (1-25 from nine); Luke Tierney (0-35 from five); Ashok Prassad (1-30 from four); Dan Jeacock (1-28 from six); Max Moore (2-19 from 4.2) and Jake Tierney (1-6 from four).
Dan Jeacock and Dan Flower then launched the post tea reply and Jeacock survived an early scare when a Bradninch fielder dropped a difficult chance, but thereafter, the openers bossed proceedings, both powering to half centuries.
Jeacock reached his 50 first, getting his off 68 balls and, when he was the only batsman to fall, he had scored 65 from 88 balls, hitting nine fours. When Jeacock was out, the Otters were just 27 runs from victory and Anthony Deane joined Flower to ensure their side denied the visitors anymore points while the home side banked a maximum 20 point haul, closing on 181-1 after 32.5 overs. Flower, who reached his half century off 76y balls, ended unbeaten on 72, hitting eight fours. Deane was not out 12 from as many deliveries and now the Otters can travel to Bideford looking to win their seventh game of the season and line up once again next season in the Tolchards Devon League E Division East.
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