PREMIER DIVISION
BUDLEIGH Salterton had one of those frustrating afternoon's when prudence was preferable to valour, forcing them to settle for a losing draw when victory was in sight.
Skipper Adrian Small composed a patient 60 as Sandford were all out for 174 with two overs to bowl.
Budleigh were so near yet so far on 169 for eight when their overs ran out. They needed 12 to win off the last couple of overs with two wickets in hand and decided not to risk their draw points by going for an outright win.
Acting captain Sandy Allen, who made a top score of 35 in the Budleigh reply, said there are times when half the cake is better than none at all.
“Our batting isn't at its strongest right now and had we gone for the runs we could easily have lost,” said Allen, who hands back to Ian Bishop for the trip to Plympton this Saturday.
“The difference is a couple of points, which we could easily be glad of later in the season. There is no point giving them away.”
Small batted through a difficult start for Sandford, who were 33 for two after early strikes from Charlie Morris and Matt Webb (4-50).
After Small was bowled by Webb, Mark Prideaux took over the running and hit a useful 44.
Budleigh steamed to 48 for one in the first nine overs with Allen (35) pulling Jamie Burton along.
Simon Ashplant (4-53) spun through the middle order, accounting for Devon skipper Bob Dawson and his county colleague Rob Newman while he was at it.
Webb (31no) upped the tempo in tandem with Mike Cliff as the score rose from 122 for seven to 156 for eight. Only when Tianne Mostert(2-39) removed Cliff did Budleigh give it up.
Exeter triumphed for the first time this season when skipper Jon Tipper hit the all-important run off the last ball of the game to pinch a two-wicket win at North Devon.
North Devon were all out for 203 in the last of their 50 overs – skipper Rob Ayre (64) and Stewart Rhodes (79) the main run getters.
Glenn Lammonby (64) put Exeter well on the way and looked like seeing them through before going for the big hit down the ground and finding a fielder.
Exeter slipped from 130 for two to 152 for seven as Rhodes (4-48) worked through the middle order.
The carnage stopped when Matt Medway (24) arrived to join Simon Bird (15no). The pair put on 53 for the eighth wicket to le vel the scores. Then Medway was run out by a sharp throw from Mike Hedden, leaving Tipper to hit the winning single.
“After the start Glenn gave us we should have won easily and would have done had he not got out when he did,” said Tipper.
“Full marks to Simon Bird and Matt Medway though for seeing us through. They batted brilliantly and made sure we came home with the win we deserved.”
Leaders Sidmouth failed to win for the first time this season when Bovey Tracey held them to a draw on the Fortfield.
Chris Williams top scored for Sidmouth with 40 in a total of 201 all out – Pete Bradley bagging five for 69 and brother Chris three for 47.
Bovey ran out of enthusiasm for the chase at 130 for five when Andy Fairbairn was caught behind off the top edge for 25. Skipper Chris Bradley,and Richard Longstreet pottered along to a draw at 162 for five.
Bradninch paid for not finishing Plympton off when they had the chance in a thrilling game that went to the wire.
Facing a target of 149 to win in 50 over, Plympton appeared to be cruising at 131 for four – Andy Walter making 45..
Then four wickets fell for no runs at all. Chris Bunny and Craig Donohue stayed cool under pressure to secure a two-wicket win that lifts Plympton to second in the latest table.
Plymouth made light work of beating Torquay in a one-sided affair at Peverell Park.
Torquay were put in and rolled out for 127 – Nick Watkin run out for a top score of 44 – with Steve Marks picking up five for 27 and John Nicholls three for 21.
The writing was on the wall for Torquay by the time they prised out opener Harry Stephenson for 30 with the score on 62.
Surviving opener Jack Little (30no) and Marks (34no) knocked off the remaining runs with a massive cushion of 24 overs to spare.
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