SANDFORD Cricket Club’s Sunday Second Eleven have had mixed fortunes over the past two weeks but what has happened is that they have been able to draw on cricketers from Shobrooke Park Cricket Club.

Availability has always been an issue with both clubs and, often on a Saturday the Second Eleven’s suffer when so many seem to be absent (why doesn’t this seem to happen in football?!)

Shobrooke Park made the decision last season to withdraw from the North Devon League because of the difficulty in raising sides on a Sunday but this has meant that some are still looking for some cricket and it is good to see them making themselves available for Sandford. Is this the start of a movement for Saturday cricket as well?

Two weeks ago a mixture of young, and not so young, took on Barnstaple and were soundly beaten by a very good Barnstaple side.

Jonty Brett top scored with 20 in a total of 120 which was swelled by 49 extras. Shaun Cockram, making a welcome return to the club, took two wickets and Joe Harris one, but that was as good as it got as the side went down by seven wickets.

Last weekend one of the Shobrooke stars took centre stage as John James produced a man of the match performance.

Westleigh looked another good side and scored 226 for eight in their 40 overs. Jem Fawsett took two wickets but John followed up his performance on Saturday with Shobrooke by bagging another four-wicket haul.

Chris Field scored 48 but at 147 for six, and still 80 needed to win, Jem joined John and they took Sandford to a four-wicket win on the last but one ball of the game.

Jem finished on 33 not out and John played himself to a wonderful 108 not out.

The First Eleven had a very disappointing result at Belstone. The game played earlier in the season at Sandford proved to be a very close affair but this was anything but, as Sandford were trounced by nine wickets.

Jim Shepherd used the time in the middle to great effect and scored 122 and there were contributions by Freddie Filor (28), Shaun Hawkins (26) and Pete Steer (20) in a total of 240.

The only wicket taker was Greg Lewis, still to make an appearance on a Saturday.

Fixtures at Creedy Park this weekend:

Saturday, June 9: First Eleven v North Devon, 12.30pm start.

Sunday, June 10: Ladies Eleven v Cornwood, 2pm start.

Mike Canning