SHOBROOKE Park maintained their winning start to the B Division season with a 37-run victory over visiting Abbotskerswell.
Acting captain Dan Robbins pulled Shobrooke out of a hole at 59 for five with a top score of 38 towards a total of 142 all out.
Abbots were all out for 105, no one making more than Richard Harmer (31).
Victory keeps Shobrooke second in the table behind Ipplepen, who are also three from three. Skipper Chris Simpson should be back to lead Park against Bideford this Saturday.
Shobrooke have a lot to thank Robbins and Andrew Codling for as they were in a bit of a state at 59 for five.
Seamers Ricky Small-Boyce and Tom Keily (2-27) had been hard to get away and there was little change to be had from change bowlers Elliott Adams or Connor Adams (3-28).
Codling and Robbins put on 67, which was critical in a low-scoring game on a damp day.
Abbots got to 66 for two with Harmer leading the way and Charlie Hill assisting.
James Bevan (2-26) removed Hill, after which wickets fell regularly to Tom Youngman (2-17) and Craig James (2-22).
No one made more than seven as Abbots lost their last five wickets for 18 runs.
Abbots’ skipper Charlie Hill said it was a frustrating way to lose having done the hardest part in the first innings.
“I was happy chasing 140, although it could have been a bit less if we hadn’t got complacent in the middle overs and had some bad balls put away,” said Hill.
“Charlie Mitchell’s lbw was a blow for us, which we compounded with a run out.
“There were a number of decisions for the umpires to make when we batted – and very few of them went our way.
“Richard Harmer did a job but three of us went for very little and the bottom four were never going to get there once he had gone.”
