JAMES Walsh and Faizan Riaz broke a Devon League batting record that has stood for 20 years in Plymouth’s 168-run win over Exeter at Mount Wise.

Riaz went out to join Walsh in the middle in the fifth over after opener Joe Hagan-Burt had been bowled by Tom Lammonby.

Riaz, a former Pakistan U19 international currently playing for Islamabad, smashed the Exeter bowling for 138 off 106 balls in a stand of 230 for the second wicket.

Walsh kept his end ticking over with 86 as the Exeter bowlers were flogged all round the ground and sometimes out of it. Riaz hit 14 fours and four sixes as the runs just kept coming.

Riaz and Walsh broke a Premier record of 229 for the second wicket set in 1997 by North Devon batsman Chris Rogers and Martin Gear. That’s the same Chris Rogers who went on to play for Australia and finished his career as captain of Somerset.

Getting Riaz out did little to slow the run fest as acting captain James Toms belted 61 not out off 35 balls with nine fours and a six.

Toms was still there at the end in a Plymouth total of 352 for six.

It was Plymouth’s second highest league score, behind the 369 for eight made chasing Budleigh to win in 2014.

Toms made 153 in that game so Riaz is second best in the personal rankings, for now.

Plymouth’s club record second wicket stand before Saturday was the 216 posted by Toms and departed Aussie-Scotsman Hamish Gardner  against Exmouth last season.

Exeter’s bowling figures were not for the feint hearted.

Veteran Jon Tipper (1-48) escaped the worst of the treatment. Lammonby (1-81) wasn’t so lucky and neither was Simon Glenn, whose only over cost 16 runs.

Tom Pedel (2-53) was the only other bowler to go for less than seven an over.

Rain breaks meant Exeter were chasing Duckworth-Lewis targets, which were reduced from 331 to 313 and finally 300 exactly.

Alex Barrow (63) and Miles Lenygon (49) gave it their best shot and at 88 for one when the latter was bowled by Hallam Kerton in the 12th over t was game on.

Lammonby’s demise at 129 for two, spun out by Fahad Ali (2-31) in the 19th over, was the beginning of the end for Exeter.

Wickets fell regularly, Dave Burke (3-30) getting among them, and with Barrow one of four to go for 10 runs added the game was up.

Exeter were 184 for seven when rain stopped play a fourth and final time.

Plymouth skipper Sam Stein, who sat out the game due to injury, accepted Exeter were at full strength either batting or bowling but that shouldn’t detract from Plymouth’s performance.

“They were short in the top four and also bowlers down with no Green or Bess,” said Stein.

“Even so we batted well, not just Faizan but Jamie Walsh and Tomsy too.

“You have to feel for them a bit. They break a record partnership and out comes James Toms, one of the most destructive batsmen in the league and smashes 60-off very quickly.”

Miles Lenygon, the Exeter captain, said there was little his side could have done to change the way the game went.

“Perhaps we could have fielded a bit better,” said Lenygon.

“We went with an inexperienced attack and Riaz, once in, was very good.

“Batting wise we a little silly at times, but having to score at seven an over with a weakened batting line-up is a big ask.”