BRAUNTON’S took a huge stride towards dodging the drop from the C Division East when they defeated table-topping Cullompton by three wickets.

The Kelsey men looked like basket cases halfway through the season when they were 44 points adrift at the bottom of the table after losing eight of their first nine games,

Six wins in the last eight matches have lifted Braunton out of the bottom three and in sight of safety.

If Braunton beat Clyst St George this Saturday they stay safe from relegation and Clyst go down. It’s quite a turnaround for Dan Brierley’s side, who looked favourites for a second successive demotion at half way.

Cullompton made 221 for nine in their full allocation of 45 overs – Trevor Gwandu (49) top scoring.

Openers Darren Paul (36) and James Blackmore (26) gave Cully a 65-run start. Gwandu went in at 98 for fur and got to 190 for seven with help from Brendon Parr (20) and Adrian Pullin (25).

Jon Baglow (3-14 off 9), shaded the bowling laurels from Martin Smith (2-24).

A key element of the Braunton chase was a stand of 105 between Rob Paterson (60) and Callum Mitchell.

Both Parr brothers – Brendon (2-32) and Jason (2-25) slowed the pursuit – and Kalann Nessling (3-42) did his bit by removing Paterson.

Brierley steered the team home with 11 balls to spare while compiling an unbeaten 31.

The losers were briefly down in the dumps after losing, only to perk up when they heard Alphington had lost to Feniton, which meant Cullompton could not be caught at the top of the table.

NOTHING less than a win will do for Clyst St George against Braunton this Saturday to stave off relegation – and even that might not be enough.

Countess Wear and Uplyme are already down, leaving a straight fight between Clyst and Braunton to determine who goes with them – and who doesn’t.

While Clyst were losing by four wickets to Uplyme last time out, Braunton were beating champs Cullompton to move 12 points clear of the relegation places.

Chris Ferro and Jayakrupakar Nallala both hit half-centuries in Clyst’s 45-over total of 214 for nine.

Laurie Thomas (72) and Liam Gorfine (56) got the first 103 wiped off. By the time Andrew Donovan knocked over Thomas the target was down to 27 to win with six wickets intact.

Young spinner Sam Read (3-39) kept Uplyme occupied longer than they expected at the end.

MATT Davies bagged a five-wicket haul to set Feniton on course for victory over Alphington.

Alphington got to 101for three with Luke Phillips (49) and Mark Halse (22) scoring runs, then fell away to 152 all out. The last four wickets went for nine runs.

Salter (61) and Graham Tucker (21) got Feniton off to a 63-run start, Mark Kingdon (27) chipped-in and by the time Salter was third out the target was three to win.

Feniton go to Uplyme this Saturday. Alphington are at home to Whimple.

WHIMPLE let a winning position get away from them when they met Kilmington.

Matt Brown (4-21) and Steve Hathaway (3-32) helped contain Kilmington to 166 for nine – Tom Gooding top scoring on 54.

Nathan Kidd (46) and Leigh Lorenzen (39) helped Whimple to 105 for three in reply, which should have been the springboard to victory.

Wickets tumbled in twos to Ollie Read, Tom Olive, Brett Garner and Josh Short with Whimple skipper Ben Silk (39) frustrated to see side all out for 165 and losers by one run.

CLYST Hydon found bottom side Countess Wear a tougher nut to crack than expected.

It looked like a routine assignment for Hydon when the Wear turned up with only eight men – and they were bowled out for 98. The wickets were shared round.

Opener Kav Dias batted from start to finish for 36 not out.

Hydon slumped to 52 for four in reply – Dias (5-34) doing the damage – and were glad of Graham Trude’s unbeaten 32 for seeing them home by three wickets.

A mid-table season for Hydon concludes this Saturday when they host neighbours Cullompton.