HONITON 151 (7pts) lost to UPLYME 153-8 (21pts) by 2 wickets

AUSTRALIAN Nick Dinnison put in a man-of-the-match performance to help Uplyme overcome local rivals Honiton at the King George Playing Fields.

Opening the bowling with fellow Aussie Charlie Warner, Dinnison took 3-11 while Warner had early success sending two of the opposition back to the pavilion with only 21 on the board.

Kevin Kelly came to the wicket and rallied his side with a well-constructed 44 before he also fell to the bowling of Dinnison.

It looked as though Uplyme would run through the rest of the middle order when Dinnison had captain Ingram well caught by Mark Batey, leaving Honiton tottering on 96-6.

However, George Meadows (25) and Pete Matravers (30no) dug in to produce a 50 run partnership.

Uplyme captain Steve Batey then turned to young spinner Harvey Brimicombe who produced the breakthrough when he had Meadows caught by Dinnison with the score on 140.

Brimicombe proceeded to mop up the tail by bowling Lapping and Fremantle leaving Honiton with a modest total of 151 to defend.

As is often the case, chasing a low total is not always straightforward and Uplyme found themselves struggling in the face of some accurate bowling from Adam Holmes and Kevin Kelly.

Backed up by athletic fielding and sharp catching, Uplyme were two wickets down with only two runs on the board. Dinnison and colt Tyler Wellman steadied the ship but when the latter was out, trapped lbw by Holmes for 22, another middle-order collapse left Uplyme well adrift on 65-6.

Dinnison stood firm and was joined by Alfie Bellworthy and together the pair put on 44 before the Kelly brothers struck again. Kevin took a fine catch from Ian’s bowling to dismiss Dinnison for a fine 60.

But undeterred, Bellworthy showed great maturity and stood firm to add a further 38 runs in partnerships with Brimicombe and Warner to see Uplyme over the line and finish with a match winning 51 not out.