TAVISTOCK avoided a banana skin lying in wait by administering a 47-run beating to South Devon.

South Devon had won four of their last five games in a battle to get away from the wrong end of the table.

Had Tavistock lost to South Devon they could have been sucked into the relegation mire themselves.

Instead, Tavvy now sit 34 points clear of the trouble spots, not enough to feel totally relaxed but sufficient to keep the pressure off.

Ian Gray top scored with 84 as Tavistock motored along to 239 for seven.

Jon Martin (4-16) bowled well at the front end for South Devon, but a stand of 145 between Gray and Dave Manning (52) formed the backbone of the Tavvy total.

Aaron Churchill with a run-a-ball 27 kept the board ticking over. Martin was te only bowler to stay below five an over for South Devon.

With both regular openers missing, Martin moved himself up the order and top scored with 62 in South Devon’s total of 192 all out.

Martin took the score to 138 for four before James White had him caught behind.

Best of the rest was Paul Hoper with 26. When he was sixth out at 148 to Dave Ball, the writing was on the wall for South Devon.

Ball and paceman James McGahey had three wickets each for Tavvy. Skipper Shaun Daymond(2-37)  flushed out the final bonus point with two tail-enders.

Beaten skipper Martin said the game was won and lost in the field by allowing Tavistock too much leeway.

 

“We made a good start by taking two early wickets, then let ourselves down by not taking another one for 25 overs,” said Martin.

“By putting four catches down and conceding 40 extras, we were chasing at least 40 more than we should.

“On the chase we lost wickets regularly and other than myself and Paul Hooper the top order didn't get going.

“The five under-17s in the side had too much to do, leaving us short of the last batting point.”