Exeter v Plymouth
EXETER included six teenagers in their side against Plymouth and came within a whisker of a memorable win.
Phil Barrow (4-41) and Steve Mattock (3-35) shot Exeter out for a paltry 116 and with James Tuck (62) one of only two players to reach double figures. Harry Bristow (11) was the other.
Plymouth got away to a racing start with skipper Dave Watson making a brisk 30 and James Davies 33. At 60 for one after 10 overs, it looked like curtains for Exeter.
Then wickets started to tumble as Ralph Gill (3-10), Lloyd White (2-28) and Ollie Rimmer (2-31) disrupted the Plymouth chase.
Seventy for two became 84 for six then 100 for eight and 112 for nine, at which point Exeter were in with a chance.
But Exeter hadn't been able to shift Mattock, whose 12 not out won it for the visitors.
Sidmouth v Exmouth
SAJ Patidar thumped 115 as Sidmouth cruised to a seven-wicket win in the derby clash with Exmouth on the Fortfield.
Exmouth were all out for 190 – Stuart Rintoul (48) and Dan Buckingham (24) the leading scorers.
Off-spinner Charlie Dibble did Exmouth to a turn with four for 37 while newcomer Fraser Hanson picked up three for 56.
Patidar's century, during which he shared a three-figure stand with Hanson (30) took Sidmouth within one run of victory, which was duly achieved with 12 overs to spare.
North Devon v Plympton
NORTH Devon were on the wrong end of a 10-wicket hammering in their game against last-season's runners-up Plympton.
Once Tom Stanton (23) and Mark Overton (18) were dismissed, it was downhill all the way for North Devon, whose last five wickets tumbled for 28 runs as they crashed to 89 all out. Mike Zantiotis (4-18) took the bowling honours for Plympton.
Sixteen overs was all Dave Walter (62no) and Neil Tremayne (22) needed to knock off the runs.
South Devon v Paignton
SOUTH Devon skipper Dave Amery had huge problems getting a side together for the Premier Division opener against Paignton – but the effort was worthwhile as the Newton Abbot side stormed to a 136-run win.
Demands from the first team for player to plug gaps, coupled with his own availability problems, had Amery running up his phone bill in the days before the game.
Matt Blackmore played the anchorman for South Devon with 131 not out, which came off 144 balls, as they racked up 271 for seven. Blackmore went from 50 to 100 in just 41 deliveries.
Blackmore shared in stands of 50 with Ian Shepherd (19) and 84 with Adam Richards (17) as the runs piled up. The total was further boosted by Paignton giving away 68 extras!
Only opener Martin Swanell, the former Sidmouth player, with a battling 50 hung around long as Amey (4-23), Dan Ball (2-22) and Phil Tunstall (2-33) shot Paignton out for 135 inside 32 overs.
Sandford v Barton
SANDFORD'S season started on a low note when they went down by six wickets to visiting Barton.
Sandford were all out for 226 with 16 balls to go – Brent Howard (59) and Brian Leach (52no) making 82 for the third wicket along the way.
Barton shared the wicket taking around with James Hands and Mike Lievesley bagging three each and Jimmy Hamilton bagging two.
Luke Byrnes (76) survived a confident shout for caught behind while in single figures, but didn't let that rattle him and with Scott Bellamy (55) for company took the score up to 151 for four.
The last lap was finished off by old warhorses Jim Parker (41no) and Lievesley (34no), who made 80 unbroken to win the game with 10 overs to spare.
Sandford's only effective bowler was Howard with three for 52 off 15 overs.