TORQUAY are off the top of the A Division 2nd XI table after Axminster snatched it from them.
The two sides met at the Recreation Ground in a first-against-second clash and Axminster's winning draw was enough to put them top.
Axminster might well have gone away with a win had it not been for a heroic stand by Torquay's ninth-wicket pair Steve Craig (22no) and Ollie Hunt (2no) who batted out the final 12 overs to secure their side the losing draw.
Axminster batted first and made their way top a competent 214-8 with Andrew Guppy top scoring with 40, Andy Yau and Phil Bradford both claimed two wickets
Bradford struck 37, bettered only by Ed Bayliss with 41, but it needed that partnership from Craig and Hunt to secure the home side's unbeaten record at 158 for eight.
Steve Wakeley was the pick of the Axminster bowlers, He picked up 3-27.
Shobrooke Park continue to make all the right moves at the top of the table . They cemented fourth spot with a maximum-point win over Abbotskerswell in an extraordinary game that swung one way and then the other.
Shobrooke, batting first, were in bags of trouble with four men back in the pavilion and the score not even into double figures!
Then Pete Robison took centre stage and plundered a magnificent 87. Neil Bransdon (36) and Roger Jones (19) helped out and the home score blossomed to 214 all out in the last over.
Father-and-son combo Andy (3-28) and Jamie Lock (3-34) took the bowling spoils for Ab bots.
The visitors set off like a side that looked capable of knocking off the totall with Damian Scarr in great form.
When Scarr was dismissed for a fine 41 out of 61 on the board, the remainder of the innings crumbled and the Abbots were shot out for just 87.
Francis Pyle produced a devastating burst that saw him claim 5-31 and Neil Anning was amongst the wickets with 3-10.
Budleigh Salterton bowled Bovey Tracey out for 73, then found knocking off the runs harder than expected and eventually scraped home by just four wickets.
Bovey did well to make 73 as they were 16 for four then 36 for six after an early going over from Paul Heys ( 3-24) and Aaron Smith (3-16).
Nigel Mountford (19) and Ben Cajee (17) hung around for a while, but the introduction of Chris Horne (3-11) hastened Bovey's demise.
Budleigh appeared to be cruising at 53 for one – Rob Newing 21, Neil Murrin 16 – but faltered with victory in sight.
David Steer (3-31) and Simon Newton (2-11) slowed the Budleigh charge, but with time to play with and wickets in hand they made it eventually.
Defeat leaves Bovey bottom of the table, but far from downhearted.
‘Getting good results in the next two games against Cornwood and Seaton, who are down at the bottom with us, will make our position look better,” said skipper Jeremy Parr.
Sidmouth III swapped placed with Seaton after they travelled along the coast and came away with a maximum point win courtesy of a three-wicket win.
Seaton scored 181 with Matt Hancock (39) and Ben Morgan (29) making the biggest contributions with the bat but it was ‘extras' that made the biggest impression on the total with 59.
George Cave (3-17) and Will Gater (3-33) took the wickets for Sidmouth III who then knocked off the runs without a single batsman dominating the proceedings.
Mike Dibble top scored with 26, other contributions came from David Watkins (25), Dave Gibson (25no) and Sean Priestley (18).
Ben Morgan claimed three for 64 to complete a fine all-round effort for his side.
In what is a tight division the defeat sends Seaton down to thoird bottom but 14 points above the drop spot. Sidmouth now find themselves up two places and are just 32 points behind new leaders Axminster.