News in Honiton

Honiton CC 1st XI side had won their last four on the bounce to give their faint promotion hopes some life. They faced Topsham St James 1st XI at Mountbatten Park in a battle between 3rd and 4th.

Topsham won the toss and decided to bat first, a slow start was encouraging for the home side as openers Holmes and Kevin Kelly were very unlucky not to get wickets, especially seeing a couple early slip chances go down. Topsham openers Sapwell (27) and Pring (15) gained some momentum until James Matravers and Ian Kelly entered the fray and changed town's fortunes by picking up a few wickets in their spells. James Matravers finished (6-8-3) and Ian Kelly (9-32-1). Further good spells by Willy Graham (7-18-2) and Mike Docherty (1.2-1-2) and Rob Ingram brought proceedings to a close. Topsham left the home side chasing a 116 to win.

The Hippos travelled to Elmore for their opening game in the South West Peninsula League East, under the floodlights at Tiverton.

Liam Raybold gave his Peninsular league debut to Giles Bassen, who had impressed during the preseason games.

It has been a long 18 months since Twin Tigers Boxing and Martial Arts Gym, Honiton has been able to operate as normal. Due to the restrictions of Covid-19, the gym has had to close three times and only with the recent lifting of restrictions have come the return of competitive fights.

This enabled one junior member, Josh Smith, to get back between the ropes in Barnsley Metrodome, to take on a formidable opponent. Despite the challenges that Covid brought, Josh remained dedicated to hours of training through Zoom sessions, sparring drills and running. This ensured he was ready when the re-opening of the gym was permitted, allowing him to continue to build his stamina and technique.

Honiton travelled through several heavy showers to arrive at Budleigh Salterton's ground to see most of the square under water. Whilst there was no chance of the game starting on time, the slim hope of getting some sort of a game played kept both sides interested, and they were rewarded when the wind and sun combined to dry out the pitch sufficiently to enable a shortened 26 over a side game to be played.

Honiton won the toss and elected to bat first on what looked a dry and hard wicket that demonstrated the value of covers. Openers Dave Haysom and Kev Kelly looked to put last week's run out mix up behind them by agreeing to not run any singles!

Another Saturday and another game where the players arrived at the ground not sure if the weather would allow any cricket to be played. However as the scheduled start time arrived the sky brightened, the covers were removed and the coin was flipped with Woodbury electing to bowl first in this E Division East contest that was reduced to 40 overs a side.

Honiton lost opener Kev Kelly, run out with the total on 17, George Meadows joined Dave Haysom and set about building a respectable total with both scoring several boundaries. Haysom was next to fall LBW for 35 with 78 on the board. In form James Matravers joined Meadows in the middle and together they reached 122 before top scorer Meadows was caught for 65, quickly followed by Holmes 4 and then Matravers 30 with the total on 165 for 5. Mike Docherty 31 and Ben Kennell 16 both fell with the total on 200 leaving Corey Lapping 7 to get the end of innings total to 213.

With the Met Office predicting heavy rain and thunderstorms for most of the day, there seemed little chance of the first team taking the field against Bradninch on Saturday, July 24.

However, as the start time approached the forecast updated and showed breaks in the rain and sunny spells. The rain stopped and as the sky brightened up the covers were taken off and a delayed start resulted in the game being reduced to 35 overs.

Another important game in Honiton's quest for promotion came and unfortunately went without the opportunity being taken leaving the side in 6th place and 30 points behind second place.

Skipper Dave Haysom won the toss and asked Clyst to bat first on a hard but damp wicket. Unfortunately, an early breakthrough didn't arrive for the Honiton bowlers who weren't helped when on numerous times the batsmen played and missed, plus a couple of miss fields and catching chances that were not taken or didn't go to hand.

The 2s made the long trip to Braunton knowing that points may be hard to come by against the runaway league leaders.

Captain Hext called correctly, and on an evidently damp wicket made the straightforward call to insert the opposition.

Honiton 2nd XI commenced the second half of their season on Saturday, July 3 in similar fashion to the first half, with a game against Whimple, this time at Ottery Moor Lane, and a backdrop, at least in certain less reputable quarters, of a doom-laden weather forecast.

Fortunately our own beloved national meteorological service had come up with something rather less ominous and as it turned out a lot more accurate as the teams were able to play to a conclusion without interruption – a rare event in what has by and large been a soggy summer of squelch. Still, it's been good for the mushrooms, as the outfield and foraging pensioners bore testament.

As the season enters the second half, Honiton took the short trip through the lanes to Ottery for a local derby on Saturday, July 3. With the uncertain weather conditions predicted there were concerns the game could be reduced or ended by rain, however as the day progressed the weather improved and large spells of the game were played in bright sunshine whilst the rain thankfully stayed away.

Skipper Dave Haysom confidently called heads at the toss and the coin came down tails and the Ottery skipper asked us to have a bat. With a firm dry wicket and drying outfield this wasn't a bad outcome for us.