UPLYME & LYME REGIS 264-2 beat PLYMOUTH CS&R 149 by 115 runs

JON Whetlor returned to King George V Playing Fields last Saturday to fire his former club to a Devon League promotion play-off triumph.

Whetlor was in sensational form with the bat as he blasted an unbeaten 129 in Uplyme & Lyme Regis’ imposing total of 264-2.

Rhys Davies, skipper Steve Batey and Richard O’Halloran then combined to bowl out Plymouth CS and Roborough for 149.

The 115-run win means Uplyme will now start next summer in B Division of the Devon League. Saturday’s showdown brought together two sides that had finished the regular season second in their respective C divisions – Uplyme in the East and Plymouth in the West.

Whetlor, a former first XI skipper at Uplyme, was cleared to play in the clash by league officials despite not figuring in any of the team’s fixtures prior to the play-off.

That did not deter the ace batsman as he put on 174 for the first wicket with O’Halloran, who made 41.

Mark Batey also chipped in with 34 not out in an unbroken third-wicket stand of 84 at the end.

Facing a huge task, Plymouth never really looked like denying Uplyme, although Chris Sanders (51) did make a half-century.

B Gaylard and J Sharp contributed 26 and 24 respectively but the Uplyme attack was just too strong on the day. Teenager Davies claimed figures of 3-22, captain Batey took 2-27 and O’Halloran picked up 2-16.