Ottery II suffered a 50-run defeat when they met Alphington in a Tolchards Devon League 2nd XI A Division game.

The Alphas batted first and there was early Ottery success with Duncan Bradshaw-Smith holding a catch off Thomas Hinch with just six runs on the board. The second wicket pair added 100 before a smart return catch off his own bowling by Duncan Bradshaw-Smith produced a second Ottery wicket. A third fell at 118 to a caught and bowled by Tom Jeacock, but the home side regained the high ground with a 53-ru fourth wicket partnership, ended by a Richard Jackson catch to give Tom Hinch his first wicket.

Hinch struck again and, when Alex Clements took a stumping to give young Jeacock a second wicket, Alphington were 185-6. Three runs were added when Hinch picked up another wicket thanks to a George Southall-Brown catch and a Henry Mutter catch off the bowling of Jeacock left the Exeter side on 189-8. The ninth and final home wicket was claimed by George Southhall-Brown with glovesman Clements pouching the catch to leave Alphington closing their innings on 202-9.

Sadly, for the Otters, the batting effort did not match the superb catching and fielding that had gone on before tea!

The reply was hit by the instant dismissals of Dan Jeacock and Duncan Bradshaw-Smith, both without troubling the scorers.

Joe Henkus and Alex Clements put on 55 for the third wicket before Henkus went for what turned out to be the best Ottery score of the afternoon – 36.

Henry Mutter was next man in – and out, trapped leg before without scoring to the third ball he received.

Clements was next man down, but not before he had grafted away, facing 69 balls for a score of 25. His dismissal meant half the Ottery side were back in the pavilion with 87 runs on the board, that was soon 90-6 and 116-9 before a spirited last wicket stand between Thomas Hinch and Richard Reed took the score to 152 when Hinch was out for a run-a-ball knock of 22.

Read finished unbeaten on four.