PLYMPTON'S grip on the Premier Division leadership is tighter than ever after they routed lowly North Devon by 163 runs.
Opener Neil Tremayne carried his bat for an unbeaten 110 as Plympton hurtled to 240 for two declared with a couple of overs to go.
Tremayne and Dave Walter (65) put on 147 for the first wicket, then Duncan Hefford chipped in with another 31 towards the eventual total.
North Devon spinner Dave Smale (2-66) took both Plympton wickets to fall.
North Devon were soon in trouble at 13 for three, recovered to 45 without further loss then collapsed to 48 for seven. From then it was downhill all the way to 77 all out with Danny Hawker taking three wickets and two each going to Dave Hyatt and Jamie Pfeiffer.
Exeter did all they could to keep in touch with runaway leaders Plympton at the top of the Premier Division 2 nd XI competition when they beat Plymouth by 60 runs.
Unbeaten Plympton, bidding to retain the title they won last year, steamrollered North Devon by 163 runs to top the table by 19 points.
Exeter have to keep winning and stay close enough to the leaders for the meeting between the two side on the penultimate Saturday of the season to have some meaning.
Exeter were bowled out for 173 at Peverall Park – John Nicholls bagging seven for 31 – with Simon Yeo (32) and Julian Wragg (23) making the only scores of note.
Newcomer Jamie Harris, a refugee from the semi-collapse of Exeter James, then took three for 12 as Plymouth were dismissed for 113 in reply.
Five points behind Exeter are Sidmouth, who outgunned Exmouth by eight wickets in the derby clash at the Maer Ground.
Exmouth made a bright start – they were 41 for one – but struggled in the middle order when the runs dried up and wickets fell. Forty-five for four was a bit of a collapse, and seven runs in 10 overs didn't help.
Richard Arnold (33) started the fightback, which Lloyd Loman maintained with a battling 37 down the order. Loman's stand of 43 for the eighth wicket with Reg Owen (15no) got Exmouth up to 159 for nine.
It was a decent effort by Exmouth under the circumstances, but nowhere near enough to stop Sidmouth winning.
Saj Patiard (57) and James Macey (62) steered Sidmouth past a hundred with Macey batting on with Simon Sobczek (18no) to win the game with more than 17 overs to spare.
South Devon took full advantage of Paignton problems at the bottom off the table to run up a comfortable seven-wicket win at Queens Park.
Paignton reached 200 for nine in their 50 overs, built largely round a stand of 103 for the third wicket between Jason Woodcock (47) and Mark Smith (42). Dave Spicer with six for 44 was head-and-shoulders ahead of the other South Devon bowlers.
South Devon murdered the total, knocking it off with more than 15 overs to spare.
Brian Allen hammered 33 at the top of the order then Dave Baldock pressed hnis case for a first-team recall with an unbeaten 92 to see South Devon home.
Baldock and Neil Matthews (15no) put in 85 unbroken to win the match.
Barton's frontline batters waved the white flag against Sandford and by the time reinforcements arrived it was too late.
Brian Leach (4-30) and Mike Canning (3-50) reduced Barton from 19 for none to 35 for six. Steve Lewis made 31 with the lower order to get the tally up to 113 all out.
Sandford had all the time in the world to make the runs and no inclination at all to take any chances.
Mile Leivesley (2-22) and Luke Adderley (2-25) stopped Sandford running away with it, but Bob Eames (30) and Scott Boardman (38) had the game wrapped up with 16 overs in hand.