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JAMES Burton and Mark Hammett showed what useful signings they are for Budleigh Salterton in a nail-biting run chase that didn't quite come off at Cornwood.

   Burton and Hammett both arrived from C Division outfit Dawlish & Teignmouth during the close season and have soon settled in at A Division 2 nd XI level.

   Cornwood made 249 for nine on their 50 overs – Dan Harris top scoring on 50 – then Burton (79) and Hammett (37) inspired a run chase that was abandoned three balls from the end with Budleigh 10 runs short of victory.

   Burton also turned his arm over to good effect, claiming two for 51 with his leg-spinners. Budleigh captain Ian Taylor bowled himself for the first time this season and was rewarded with three for 39.

   Having started the season with back-to-back victories, Budleigh have now gone two games without a win.

   Taylor, whose target is promotion this season, knows exactly what's needed to return to winning ways.

   “It seems to be same story every week - our fielding is very poor,” said Taylor.

     “We dropped four catches and gave them 40 runs in the field and that's something that has to improve.”

   “Our batting line up is one of the strongest about, but we can't always rely on our batters to save us.

   Budeigh remain second in the A Division table, ten points behind leaders Torquay , who overpowered Shobrooke Park by eight wickets.

   Other than Mark Wheeler's 35 it was a poor show from the Shobrooke batsmen as Will Sears (3-37), Liam Rice (2-23) and Andy Yau (2-35) reduced them to 108 for eight.

   Bowler Ben Trenaman (35) and veteran all-rounder Francis Pyle (35) showed the reluctant run scorers how it should be done by helping the score along to 170 all out. Trenaman clubbed four sixes.

   Sears (27) gave Torquay a start with Matt Thompson, who batted through for an unbeaten 78 as Torquay cruised to victory with 10 overs to spare. Steve Craig (43no) was the other not-out batsman at the end.

   Defeat cost Shobrooke third place in the table as Sidmouth defeated Abbotskerswell by seven wickets to move ahead of them.

   Abbots were all out for a modest 154 – Andy Rose (50) and Sean Green (41) the main run getters – with teenagers Will Gater (3-27) and Paris Pnney (3-29) leading the Sidmoth bowling effort.

   After Mike Dibble (34) and Sam Richardson (36) had pointed Sidmouth in the right direction, Shaun Priestley (25) and Miles Dalton (37no) applied the finishing touches. Gary Day's mixed bag of spinners earned him two for 36.

   Elsewhere in the A Division, Jonny Hurford belted an unbeaten 85 as Axminster knocked off Seaton's 144 all out with seven wickets intact.