BRIXHAM’S best batting performance of the season so far wasn’t enough to earn them a win at North Devon.

Tim Robinson made 93 – Brixham’s top individual effort this summer – and acting captain Corné Dry made 74 in a total of 255 for seven.

The only snag was North Devon had already totted up 328 for seven with Dan Bowser and Kyle Verreynne both making centuries.

It ended in a 73-run defeat for Brixham, who remain stuck fast at the bottom of the table.

But passing 200 for the first time since being promoted back into the top flight should give Brixham’s morale a lift going into the final third of what has been a challenging season.

Dry, skippering the side in the absence of work-tied skipper Andy Pugh, who stayed at home to play for the 2^nd XI, asked North Devon to bat, which looked a good decision when Craig Eaves nipped out openers Tom Ansell and Max Curtis for 29.

The next wicket was a long time coming though as Bowser and Verreynne compiled a stand of 139 of the third wicket.

Matt Edwards bowled Verreynne for 106 off just 76 balls, which included 18 fours and two sixes.

Bowser kept going to reach 124 a little more sedately off 123 deliveries wth 17 fours and a six.

By the time Mark Orchard (4-79) removed Bowser he had put on another 124 with Barney Huxtable (55).

Geoff Brittain didn’t last long at the top of the Bricham order, but Dry and Eaves (19) fashioned a stand of 72 in 12 overs to make a game of it.

Dry went at 116 for three having hit seven fours and five sixes in his 53-ball knock of 72.

Robinson was just getting settled and batted through to the final over for his 93, which included 19 boundary hits.

Along the way there were stands of 40 with Joel Ashworth, 44 with Orchard and 35 with Simon Caunter, who made just three.

North Devon used seven bowlers with Verreynne and Josh King both operating at below three an over.