BOVEY Tracey 2nd XI will be aiming for three in a row when they face-off against Ipplepen tomorrow (Sunday) in the final of the Aaron Printers Cup (2pm).
Dan Green’s team have been regular visitors to the South Devon Cricket Ground in Newton Abbot and have never been beaten there in five previous finals.
No team has managed three successive wins in the final since Paignton defeated Abbotskerswell, Chudleigh and South Devon in 1998, 1999 and 2000 respectively to become the first and only side to do it.
Ipplepen went straight into the quarter-final stage this year where they crushed neighbours Abbotskerswell by 73 runs. Neil Hancock, who has since left the club, whacked 104 off just 45 balls for the Pens.
Sam Wakeham thwacked 59 and there were three wickets for George Tapley in Pens’ 36-run win over Torquay in the last four.
Bovey were 39-run winners at Ashburton in the first round. Sam Robbins and Sam Harvey both hit half-centuries for the cup holders.
Jonah Serong turned in a man-of-the-match performance in the quarter-final win over Paignton with a half-century and a four-wicket haul.
Bovey captain Dan Green was the man of the moment for Bovey in an eight-wicket win at Barton. His 77 not out off 38 balls got his into the final with just four balls to go.
Bovey are in the unenviable position of being in two finals days at the same time as their. 1st XI is in action at Exmouth in the Wombat Cricket Devon T20. They have a 10am start against Exeter for the right to meet either Sandford of Plympton in the final.
Green said the fixture clash did pose one or two problems, but Bovey will go with what they have got.
“We won’t be as strong as we would like but, as always, we do enjoy the competition and it is even better that we are playing Ipplepen, a side we always have competitive but friendly games with,” said Green.
Mawgan Penrice, the Ipplepen captain, said: “It's always exciting whenever you're involved in a cup final.
“Bovey are a big club and I am expecting them to put out a strong side so will have to be at our best.”
The man-of-the-match adjudicator is Chelston & Kingskerswell captain Vivek Kulkarni – a former winner of the award himself.
Kulkarni smashed Chelston to victory against Paignton 2nd XI in the 2004 final – click here to read match report
