Shebbear on the up as Bray rattles rivals

By arjones

ANDY BRYAN has backed run machine Martyn Bray to play at a higher level — with Shebbear.

The opener has been in such outstanding form that some opponents have questioned why he is playing in Division Three of the North Devon Holiday Homes League.

Shebbear skipper Bryan defended the player's right to turn out for his home village and hopes he can continue driving them to success in the league and North Devon Twenty20 Cup.

"He's a good cricketer," said Bryan, a colleague of Bray's at Shebbear College.

"A lot of clubs say, 'What is he doing playing in Division Three on a Sunday?'

"He works on Saturday at the College and doesn't drive, so it makes sense for him to play for the village where he is living — and he enjoys it.

"We would love to be playing in the second division or higher than that. I don't think Martyn enjoys playing against sides that don't really test him and he and (fellow opener) Ollie Wickett would like to be tested."

In six league innings this season, Bray has scored 23, 191, 66, 45, 197 and 23 not out. That's a total of 545 runs, averaging 109 every time he walks to the wicket.

He also shone with the ball as Shebbear reached the semi-finals of the Twenty20 Cup. A devastating spell of five wickets for no runs in four overs blew Victoria Park away for 116 in the quarter-finals — 19 runs short of Shebbear's 135-5, in which Bray scored 25.

"He was bowling fairly sharp off five or six paces. All five were bowled out, he was just too quick for them," added Bryan.

"Martyn was originally a quick bowler as a Yorkshire schoolboy.

"But playing rugby for Newcastle Falcons, he did his cruciate ligament twice and had to give up professional rugby.

"He has hardly bowled for us because he still gets a bit of trouble with his knee. But we needed him in that game and he stepped up."

All 11 stepped up on Sunday as Shebbear demolished a young North Devon 2nds side by 10 wickets to keep a firm grip on second place.

The game was done and dusted within two hours as the visitors were shot out for 42 and Bray (23no) and acting captain Wickett (20no) knocked off the runs.

Fifteen-year-old Kyle Franklin, from Barbados, took 3-3 for Shebbear and Jack Frith (2-0) ended the North Devon innings by bowling the last two batsmen.

"I wasn't playing. I was on my way back to watch the end but by the time I got there they were all in the pub," said Bryan.

"North Devon were a very young side and struggling for players but it's going quite well for us.

"We're in a position where for some reason we have four or five very good cricketers.

"This year, for the first time, I've had to say to people, 'Sorry, no game this week'. That's very rare at Shebbear. Usually I'm phoning round on a Saturday evening trying to find players.

"I think we would cope in the second division. But I'm not sure about going beyond that because we can't guarantee having that strong a side for that number of years."

The Twenty20 win over Victoria Park was revenge for their League Cup defeat to the same opponents.

Batting first, Mike Furber (42) and Bray (25) got Shebbear off to a flier.

But Victoria Park were soon celebrating the run out of Bray, and the visitors lost two wickets in an over.

However, youngsters Franklin (21) and Lawrence Stone (23no) chipped in to take the final score to 135-5.

After the threat of Victoria Park's top order was removed by Keith Horwell and Simon Brock (3-38), Bray came on to blow away the middle order.

Shebbear will meet Filleigh in the semi-finals.

Bideford are also in the last four after beating Putford by eight wickets.

Biddy will visit the winners of next week's quarter-final between North Devon and Braunton.