HONITON 183 beat UPLYME & Lyme Regis 172 by 11 runs

KEVIN Kelly snared a fifer to condemn Uplyme & Lyme Regis to an agonising 11-run home defeat in the Devon League E Division.

Full of confidence following their win over Filleigh last week, the hosts skittled Honiton for 183 all out before looking well placed on 105-3 in reply.

However, a mid-order collapse, which saw three wickets fall for just 22 runs, then completely turned the tide despite a gallant effort to salvage the run chase from the Whittington brothers in the closing stages.

Skipper Ashley Caddy, who also bagged five wickets, told the Lyme Regis News: “We did well to contain them in the first innings because at one stage they looked on course for 200 plus.

“Steve Howe (2-39) and I both bowled well and in the end we managed to keep them to 183 on a pretty good track.

“And with a strong batting line-up, we were confident of chasing that down but like Honiton, we collapsed in the middle.

“Even then I still thought Ben Whittington (13) and Jedd Whitt-ington (12) might get us home but Ben was then clean bowled before Jedd got run out at the non-striker’s end when Jamie Toates hit the ball straight back at the bowler, who managed to touch it on to the stumps.

“That dismissal summed up the day really and all we can do now is try and bounce back at Wood-bury on Saturday when Adam Caddy and Neil Price will both return.”

Uplyme struck early in the Honiton innings with Ashley Caddy (5-40) cleaning up Oliver Cave for a duck but the visitors soon responded with Peter Matravers (34) and G Meadows (68) putting on a second-wicket partnership of 75.

Jamie Toates (2-39) then beat Matravers all ends up but the away side continued to look assured with Holmes (14) providing a good supporting role for the in-form Meadows.

The number three raced to his half-century and looked well set to bat through the innings until Howe (2-39) forced him to find the hands of Steve Batey.

That proved a turning point as Honiton suddenly endured an almighty collapse from 132-3 to 140-8 before tailenders Phil Tansley (16) and Kieran Conway (15) put on a defiant stand of 39, which ended up proving crucial.

Uplyme looked in complete control in the early stages of their reply with Mark Batey (27) and Rob Thom (24) putting on 69 for the first wicket before Kelly (5-47) came up with the vital breakthrough to send the former back to the pavilion.

Thom then quickly followed before the hosts steadied themselves again with Steve Batey (26) and Ashley Caddy (13) taking their side over the three-figure mark.

However, when Ashley Caddy fell to Thompson (1-31) to leave the reply on 105-3, Honiton began to up the pressure and suddenly picked up a trio of wickets with Derek Wellman (8), Mark Brimi-combe (4) and more significantly, Steve Batey, all falling in quick succession.

Ben Whittington and Jedd Whittington then endeavoured to reinvigorate the innings but the visitors held their nerve to take the spoils by a narrow margin.