Ottery St Mary 2nd XI last weekend returned empty handed from the long trip to West Devon as they slipped to an agonising narrow defeat against hosts, Hatherleigh, writes Ian Townsend.

After a fine bowling display had restricted the home side to a distinctly gettable total, a number of Otters batsmen got a start but no-one could deliver the substantial innings that would have yielded victory.

After home skipper Ross Cherrington and Rob Chapman had given Hatherleigh a useful 40-run start, teenage seamer Tom Hinch (3-38) was rewarded for another fine spell as he claimed three wickets. Chapman (8) and Ryan Davies (19) were both caught by George Hoult and Cherrington (27) trapped lbw and, with Tom Jeacock (1-17) soon bowling Will Lenhay (10) and left arm spinner Duncan Bradshaw-Smith (1-32) castling Eddie Jones for a duck, the score slipped to 76-5. Runs were now at a premium but Sean Forrester and Richard Tidball (22) slowly wrested back the initiative to add 62 before Tidabll was run out by George Southall-Brown. Two further dismissals left the total at 145-8 but with Forrester now batting fluently, in partnership with Adam Quick, a precious 46 were added for the ninth wicket. Left armer Zac Johns (2-24) wrapped up the innings as first Quick (27 with four fours) was caught by Hinch, then last man Lee Bonner was bowled for nought as Hatherleigh posted a 192-run target. Forrester remained on a fine 63 not out (nine fours).

Joe Henkus (1) was an early casualty as Ottery replied but Dan Jeacock (27) and Alex Clements (19) then batted steadily to add 42 before both men fell lbw to Tidball (2-17). Teenage duo Hoult and Harry Peters batted fluently to add 46 in seven overs but both players departed with the score on 106, Peters (16) caught by Davies off Cherrington and Hoult (29 with five fours) pouched by Tidball off Davies. With 21 overs remaining the visitors required 86 for victory but despite a useful cameo from Johns (14), wickets continued to fall with Davies (3-32) and Cherrington (3-27) both claiming three scalps to leave the Otters at 158-9. However, the visitors were not going down without a fight and last wicket pair Bradshaw-Smith (31* from 59 balls) and Hinch (13*) embarked upon a brave stand which resulted in 13 runs being required from the final over. Sadly the pair could muster only eight which saw the Otters slip to a four run defeat.

Hatherleigh 191 (S Forrester 63*, R Cherrington 27, A Quick 27, R Tidball 22, T Hinch 3-38, Z.Johns 2-24) Ottery St Mary 187-9 (D Bradshaw-Smith 31*, G Hoult 29, D Jeacock 27, R Cherrington 3-27, R Davies 3-32, R Tidball 2-17). Hatherleigh (18pts) bt Ottery St Mary (9pts) by 4 runs.

Otters Man of the Match – Duncan Bradshaw-Smith