A disappointing home defeat last weekend brought the curtain down on a mixed season for Ottery St Mary 1st XI, writes Ian Townsend.

A depleted bowling line up saw the Salston Field side struggle to exert any real control, allowing local rivals Clyst Hydon to post a challenging total which only briefly appeared to be under threat as the Otters replied.

After Clyst won the toss and elected to bat, skipper Ian Sutton and George Pawley took full advantage of some wayward bowling from Will Harrison and Jody Clements to give the visitors a flying 61-run start in 11 overs.

Sutton, in particular, unleashed some fine shots, launching three sixes in his 29-ball innings of 30 which was only ended by the introduction of pacey left armer, Joe Birch, Rob Crabb clinging on to a terrific low catch at second slip. Birch immediately induced Pawley (23) to edge behind to Trevor Griffin before Sri Lankan import Dhanuja Haturusingha took control. The big left hander struck the ball sweetly to add 78 in 13 overs with Graham Trude, left armer spinner Alex Thurgate suffering severe punishment as he disappeared for 22 runs in an over.

Trude (24) was pouched by Lewis Townsend off Rob Crabb and the Otters’ skipper then ended Hauturasingha’s fine knock at 60 (five fours, four sixes, 54 balls) as he did well to clasp a high catch at long-on, James Faulkner the beneficiary. When Faulkner bowled Heffin Wood (0) without addition, Clyst stood at 169-5, but the medium pacer was to prove expensive during the rest of his spell as Clinton Lewis (43) and Sinith Thevaraj (41*) produced aggressive late innings knocks to boost the total to an imposing 258-6. Birch was once again the pick of the home bowlers claiming 2-29 from his nine overs.

Townsend (17) and Griffin handled the pacey Haturusingha well as they gave Ottery a useful 47 run start in reply before the former misjudged a James Billington delivery to be bowled. Griffin (20) was stumped by Wood off Lewis to leave the Otters at 49-2 but a fluent 79 run stand, compiled in 18 overs between the powerful Crabb and Mickey Wilkinson, left the Otters in with a shout at 128-2 with 18 overs remaining.

However, Wilkinson (28) was then bowled by Sean Devine and Crabb (48 with four fours and a six) caught by Sutton off Haturusingha which was the prelude to the regular loss of middle order wickets. Clements (2) was bowled by Devine (2-44) and Thurgate (10) trapped lbw by Oliver Besley who also removed Harry Conway, bowled for two. Fellow teenager Harry Peters (5) was caught by Haturusingha off the returning Billington (2-30) but Faulkner was putting up spirited resistance.

The powerful right hander blasted three maximums in a typically hard hitting 38 (31 balls) as 44 were added with Birch in quick time. After Faulkner was run out, Birch (15) continued to resist, striking a towering straight six, but after No.11 Harrison (8*) had also managed to clear the rope, the left hander overbalanced to be stumped off Lewis and the Otters were all out 39 runs short of their target.

Clyst Hydon 258-6 (D Haturusingha 60, C Lewis 43, I Sutton 30, G Trude 24, G Pawley 23, J Birch 2-29, R Crabb 2-46, J Faulkner 2-55) Ottery St Mary 220 (R Crabb 48, J Faulkner 38, M Wilkinson 28, T Griffin 20, J Billington 2-30, S Devine 2-44, O Besley 2-51, C Lewis 2-54).

Clyst Hydon (20pts) bt Ottery St Mary (8pts) by 38 runs.