SKIPPER Seb Ansley ground out a match-winning innings that steered Bovey Tracey 1st XI to a four-wicket win over Torquay & Kingskerswell.

Bovey appeared to have done the hard bit in the A Division encounter on the Ashburton Road ground by skittling Torquay & Kingskerswell for 120. Ben Kay (3-34) trumped Ollie Clifford-Bourne (2-22) and Will Christophers (2-23) in the Bovey bowling stats.

Chris Kelmere (32), Harry Passenger (23) and Aaron Hearn (29) made T&K’s only scores above nine. Five batters did not manage a run between them!

Without Hearn’s application down the order when T&K were 85 for eight, the chase would have been shorter.

When Bovey were 62 for six in response, with opener Jake Pascoe just out for 16 compiled in 65 minutes, it had ceased to be a routine pursuit.

Spin had been the Bovey batters’ downfalls. If Passenger (3-17) did not get them, Kelmere (2-47) or Harry Baxendale (1-20) did.

Ansley, known for his robust approach to batting, played against type with a studious knock of 48 not out from 74 balls faced.

Pete Bradley, who was Ansley’s predecessor as skipper, shored up the opposite end for an unbeaten dozen off 65 deliveries that helped see the chase to its conclusion.

Ansley said despite the pitfalls along the way to victory, he was always confident of getting a win.

“Torquay & Kingskerswell’s stand at eight down was crucial and made what could have been 90 all out into a competitive score,” said Ansley.

“Peter and myself managed to keep the board ticking over – time was never an issue – so to marshal it through to the end was a good feeling.”

This leaves Bovey in fifth in the A Division on 45 points, with three games in the books to date. Their B-team meanwhile are fifth in the B Division having won at Clyst St. George this weekend.