SATURDAY, JULY 7
CHAGFORD knocked Bridestowe off the top of the D Division West table – and opened the door for Hatherleigh to take over – when they defeated their Moorland rivals by 78 runs.
Bridgestowe hadn't lost prior to Saturday and would have backed themselves to knock off Chagford's modest total of 150 for eight.
But Bridestowe were sunk almost as soon as they started after slumping to 19 for five and despite Neil Griffiths making 27 there was no way back.
Josh Rankin (3-25) got the ball rolling for Chagford, Prakash Joshi (5-21) helped Bridestowe on their way then Jon Jenkins (2-18) mopped up for a total of 72 all out.
Chagford hadn't found batting that easy themselves and were 89 for seven after a going over from Chris Lavis (3-34), Griffiths (2-33) and Steve Sizmur (2-26).
Joshi made 31 early on and Rankin 23, but wickets tumbled after they went with the score on 89 for seven when Jenkins came out to join Steve Hulse.
A stand of 47 – Hulse made 24, Jenkins hit 25 not out – wasn't a lot but proved crucial in the context of a low scoring game.
Chagford might have won, but are actually worse off than they were going into the week-ten fixtures as Bridestowe were 17 points ahead of them and Hatherleigh are now 18 to the good.
Bridestowe drop back to third with Dartington & Totnes easing past them on the strength of a winning draw at Ipplepen.
Ipplepen's chances of beating Dartington & Totnes had all but vanished before they wre halfway into their replay as they were 75 for five chasing 227 to win.
Steve Bowden (66) tried to get things moving again, but the damage was already done, largely by Matt Hickey (4-22). Luke Tuckett (37) and Geoff Heath (20) had the next best set of scores on Pens' reply of 186 for eight.
It had been a different story when Dartington were batting as they were 103 for two – Ian Bransdon (62) among the runs and recovered after a brief stumble with Tim Courtenay making 42 not out.
Paul Thomas easily snared the bowling laurels for Ipplepen with a five-for-49 haul.
Hatherleigh, as expected, were too strong for drop dodgers Chelston and cruised to a seven-wicket win with more than 22 overs in hand.
Chelston are finding it hard this season – no team has fewer batting points than the do – and it was a familiar story as they slipped to 131 all out against the father-and-son attack of Gareth (4-21) and Richard Tidball (2-36). Richard Fishley had two for 20.
Howard Carter's 28 was the only score of note for Chelston.
Carter (2-35) gave Hatherleigh a bit to think about early on, but a bright and breezy 62 not out from Darryl Barnes had the match wrapped up early.
Lewdown were given a run for their money at Lustleigh, who folded to 137 all out when they batted then hit back with the ball.
Lewdown, who still harbour hopes of rejoining the promotion squabble, shot Lustleigh out for 137.
Opener Phil Wright top scored for Lustleigh with 52. Wright and Steve Wright – no relation – put on 56 for the first wicket. Steve Wright's contribution was just one run!
Veteran Nigel Sawry-Cookson (24) was the only other Lustleigh batsman to score many.
Lewdown shared the wicket taking around with Adie Edmonds (3-29) and skipper Charlie Hughes (2-8) the most successful.
Lewdown ran into trouble against Ben Hood (4-55) and 17-year-old Duncan Manners-Chapman (3-32).
Phil Yeo made 20, but wickets kept on tumbling with Lewdown's hopes resting on Carl Weeks (35no) staying in.
Weeks was joined by last man Edmonds with eight needed to win and they got them in the end.
Lewdown stay fifth in the table, 25 points away from the lone promotion slot which is currently occupied by Hatherleigh. The two sides meet this Saturday in a game Lewdown can't afford to lose.
At the other end of the table, Whitchurch crept out of the bottom two thanks to a winning draw at Woodland Fort.
Whitchurch were one off the bottom, but have jumped a place as Chelston lost to Hatherleigh and slipped into the bottom two with Lustleigh.
The Whitchurch innings was constructed around a stand of 91 for the second wicket between Martin Credicott (43) and Shaun Damont (41).
The balance shifted once Matt Ashton (2-57), Marcus Draper (2-240 and Marc Humphries (3-31) got down to business. Alan Churchill (25) was the last man out for Whitchurch in their total of 180.
Fort were showing signs of rustiness when they batted after three weeks off, which was how they explained being 10 for two then 46 for four in reply.
Jason Banks (36) and Steve Tibbs (24) settled things down and helped the Fort to 138 for seven despite interference from Steve Lavis (3-30) and Damont (3-38).