SOUTH Devon were on the end of a record-breaking battering by Plymstock as they slipped deeper into relegation trouble after a 187-run defeat.

Teddy Richards and Jack Horton both got out in the 90s as Plymstock raced to 400 for five in 45 overs.

Opener Seb Jordan missed out on the run feast at South Devon – he was out for three to South Devon captain Jon Martin – but the rest of the order tucked in with relish.

Jason Williams (69) and Richards (93) put on 158 for the second wicket – and breaking that stand didn’t slow things down for South Devon.

Horton replaced the outgoing Williams and mashed 74 for the third wicket with Richards.

When Richards was run out by Divan Marais, the South Devon bowlers were exposed to Bronte Bess in full cry.

Bess picked up where he left off against Bideford seven days earlier he took them for a 60-ball century – with a whirlwind 84 off 32 deliveries.

Bess clubbed eight sixes and five fours in a display of hitting that left South Devon’s bowlers in need of treatment for inflated bowling figures.

Plymstock skipper Scott Mansfield said” It was quite a display of hitting.

“He hit the first ball into the car park for six - and carried on that way."

Horton and Bess put on 154 for the fourth wicket in 11 overs before Martin split them up.

Martin’s figures of three for 29 from nine overs were immensely respectable given the flack flying round. No one else went for less than nine an over

Plymstock’s total of 400 for five easily beat the previous high total, held by Lewdown with a total of 374 for six in 2009.

South Devon won’t want reminding they were on the receiving end of that record-setting performance too.

South Devon, in the scrap at the bottom end to avoid going down with Dartington, were all out for 213 with more than seven overs to go.

It was a respectable effort from a shell-shocked side, constructed round a determined middle-order effort.

Divan Marais made a quick 37 off 23 balls, Jonty Parsons lingered a little longer over his 31 and there were chip-ins from Richard Beaumont (30) and Ali Wright (29).

South Devon go to Ottery St Mary this Saturday 24 points adrift at he bottom of the table with three games to get out of jail.

Skipper Martin said the situation looked gloomy, but wasn’t terminal yet.

“The optimist in me says that there are 60 points on offer and we are going to go all out to get them,” said Martin

“But it's going to be a big ask with questionable availability for all three remaining games - especially Thorverton when I'm sure we've got six out.”

The significance of the Thorverton game is they are the team South Devon have to overhaul to stay up.”

Victory keeps Plymstock hard on the heels of leaders Ivybridge, who remain five points ahead after their win over Ottery St Mary.