BOVEY Tracey are back out in front at the top of the Premier Division after a round of games that couldn’t have gone much better.

Not only did Bovey defeat Exeter by 35 runs, the two teams chasing them at the top both lost.

Bovey now have a 22-point lead over Exmouth and are 39 points in front of Bradninch, who lost to North Devon and Torquay respectively.

With eight games to go there are 160 points to play for and nothing is certain yet.

Bovey are setting the pace though and a win over form side Torquay this Saturday will send out a message to the chasers.

Opener Josh Maillng, the young batsman Bovey recruited from A Division Plympton during the close season, hit a top score of 126 all out in a total of 278 for six.

There were sizeable stands of 57 will Will Christophers, 60 with Matt Golding (30), 58 with Luke Jongwe (30) and 37 with Lewis Hammett.

Hammett made 37 not out to keep the board ticking right to the end.

Exeter paraded their England U19 trio Ben Green, Tom Lammonby and Dom Bess, who didn’t have that much luck.

Paceman Green had none for 46 from 10 while Bess took two for 60, also off 10 and Lammonby had two for 61.

Rob Holman’s off-spin earned him two for 44 from 10.

Although Exeter had a go the lacked a greedy run scorer in the top fur or five to hang a chase on.

There were plenty of starts – Alex Barrow, Holman and Lammoby all got into the early 20s – but at 128 for five the chase was stalling.

Bess (52) and Sean Morris (31) picked up the pace in a stand of 45 but the clock was against them.

Harvey Sargent had 31 in a losing cause as Exeter reached 243 for nine.

Wicket-taking was shared round with two each for Jongwe, Golding, Toby Codd and Ryan Bougourd.

Winnng captain Peter Bradley described it unashamedly as Bovey’s ‘most complete performance of the season.’

Bradley added: “Josh Mailling showed how good a player he is and how important it is for someone to go big.

“Chris yabsley bowled very well with the new ball, holding Exeter to three an over in the first 10, was a big bonus.

“To do that against, Holman, Barrow and Green is a huge achievement for an under-17 player.

“Our fielding was top draw. We took all our catches and Will Christophers, must have saved 15 in the field again

“To play, compete and beat a team full of Somerset, England and Devon representative is a massive achievement and one we love.

“Other results going out way was a treat.”

Exeter, two places and 20 points ahead of the drop spots, will want to bounce back against Plymouth on the County Ground this Saturday.