HEATHCOAT skipper Peter Randerson had no complaints or excuses to offer after the Duckworth-Lewis defeat at North Devon.

Dan Bowser, Callum Hotham and Josh King all hit half-centuries in North Devon’s total of 324 for six.

Although Reid Mawdsley made 52 in the Heathcoat reply, the big knocks needed from others didn’t happen.

Heathcoat were 178 for six when rain stopped play with little more than 10 overs to go.

Randerson didn’t need the Duckworth-Lewis handbook to tell him Heathcoat had lost.

“We played poorly and deserved nothing more than the six points we got,” said Randerson.

“Stopping North Devon scoring was a difficult task and we didn’t do a great job.”

Randerson chose not to claim mitigating circumstances, although he was probably entitled to,

Jack Menheneott was in hospital for more than half the North Devon innings after breaking a finger trying to take a catch.

Ten men in the field became nine and a half when Simon Sobczak tore a quad muscle.

Bowser (50) and Tom Popham (33) gave North Devon a 52-run start, which was kept going by Tom Ansell (33) and Rob Ayre (44).

Heathcoat were a bowler short with Menheneott out of the action and had to fiddle through the last 10 overs as best they could.

Hotham and King were quick to take advantage in a rapid stand of 112 for the sixth wicket.

Hotham made 67 off 58 balls with six fours and six – positively pedestrian compared to King. His 57 arrived off 32 deliveries with six fours and three sixes.

Jackson Thompson and J J Smit were the only Heath oat bowlers to bowl full spells cheaply.

Jack Popham (2-25) got into Heahcoat’s top order, leaving Mawdsley (52) and Sam Smith (34) to rebuild in a stand of 59.

With Mawdsley out of the way and Smith not lasting too much longer, Heathcoat slipped further behind the clock.

Jack Hockin (2-15) picked up late wickets in Heathcoat’s final total. Smit finished on 32 not out.

Winning captain Ed Yeo said there were numerous headline acts in a ‘great team performance.’

Yeo added: “Dan Bowser and Tom Popham got us of to a great start then Callum batted superbly.

“Rob Ayre rolled back the years stroking 44,

“Josh King batted and bowled awesomely, along with Alf Huxtable and Jack Hockin.

“The best thing I did was get out for 10 and watch everyone else get runs.

“I would happily get zero every week if the team scores 300.”