BIDEFORD can look forward to A Division cricket again next season after a two-year absence and have a game left to go up as champions.
Going into the second-last round of fixtures Bideford were top of the table, but a one-wicket defeat by Ipplepen allowed Abbotskerswell to go past them by beating Tavistock.
It all comes down to this Saturday when Bideford visit relegation battlers Barton and Abbots make the short trip through the back lanes to Ipplepen.
With only a point between the title rivals, it could go either way. As no one can catch either of them, that is one pressure neither has to worry about now.
Bideford went up and came straight back down when they last visited the A Division. Skipper Paul Heard is confident they won’t suffer the same fate again.
“We took too long to find our feet in the A Division last time but did reasonably well in the second half of the season,” said Heard.
“The team hasn't changed much so the experience of last time should help.”
Bideford’s batters had an off day against Ipplepen, managing a not-so grand total of 101 all out in 28 overs. Ollie Hannam (27) top scored.
Pick of the bowlers for Pens were Joe Abbott (3-23) and Viking look-alile Marcus Green (3-10).
Pens appeared on course for a routine win at 68 for three – Jack Lewis (33) and Adam Peters (26) the run getters – then the wheels fell off.
Tom Brend (5-22) and Heard (2-25) got into the middle order then Martin Stewart (2-13 off nine) tuned the screw some more.
Abbott, who went in at 49 for two, dug in for the duration for an unbeaten 19. Last man Keith Wakeham kept his wicket intact to get Pens over the line.
JOHN Hickman took six of the best as Filleigh spanked relegated Ottery St Mary by seven wickets.
Hickman took six wickets for 20 runs to help skittle Ottery for 112.
Ottery were 62 for one after Alex Clements (19), Dan Flower (14) and Rob Johns (19) got the started.
Hickman nipped out Johns and Joe Henkus in successive balls, sparking a collapse from 62 for two to 79 for eight. Matt Reed (13) and Joe Burch (16no) detained Filleigh longer than they expected.
Ryan Bowden (3-24) was also among the wickets.
Macauly Harrison-Hooton (30) joined Justin Saker (64) to polish off the runs in double quick time during a stand of 96 for the third wicket.
When Harrison-Hooton got out to Tom Hinch, the target was eight to win with 24 overs to go.
Filleigh’s season concludes this Saturday with a home game against relegation worriers Thorverton, whose situation worsened after they lost at Barton.
ABBOTSKERSWELL are sure of a second successive promotion after they beat Tavistock by 11 runs to oust Bideford at the top of the table.
And a win over Ipplepen in the derby clash at Moor Road this Saturday could send the new leaders up as champions.
Abbotskerswell were all-out for 190 with two balls to go – Sean Cleave taking four wickets and Billy Barriball three.
Opener Charlie Mitchell ground out 73 as Abbots’ anchorman in a total seemingly within Tavistock’s reach. It wasn’t.
Four of the first six Tavvy batters failed to reach double figures – Tom Keily taking five for 40 along the way - and without the Barriball brothers the Moorlanders would have been embarrassed.
Opener Billy made 22, Charlie hit 59 going in at five and with Cleave chipping in with 38 off 50 balls Tavvy stayed in the game.
Abbots were mightily pleased to see the back of Cleave, who was bowled by Alex Birt with 15 needed to win.
SHOBROOKE Park crashed to their heaviest defeat of the season batting second when Seaton walloped them by 177 runs.
Two early wickets for Shobrooke’s Craig James (2-47) had Seaton wobbling at 20 for two, but that was as good as it got for the home side.
Seaton opener Matt Hewer stroked 119 off 121 balls and Joel Seward hit an unbeaten 112 in a third-wicket partnership of 238.
Stand-in captain Dan Robbins tried eight bowlers to stem the flow of runs, but Seaton made 315 for five anyway.
Shobrooke were all out for 138 in reply – no one making more than Robbins (22).
Ben Morgan (4-28) took the wickets up top, leaving Phil Collins, Chris Aplin and Joel Seward to get the rest two at a time.
Seaton needed the win to avoid being sucked into the relegation mire. Four points off doomed Ottery this Saturday will do it.
Shobrooke, who were among the promotion candidates either side of halfway, can still finish fourth if they beat Tavistock this Saturday.
BARTON gave themselves a great chance of avoiding relegation from the B Division when they won the basement battle with Thorverton by 107 runs.
Two go down this season – not three as in previous summers – and it’s a straight fight now between Barton and Thorverton to see who avoids joining Ottery St Mary.
Saturday’s defeat moved Barton ahead of Thorverton by three points with a game to go, in Barton’s case against promoted Bideford.
Andy Hele, the former Devon keeper and batsman, slugged 80 off 60 balls and Calum Moses made 72 in Barton’s total of 264 for seven. Matt Needham (23) and Adam Parker (24) chipped in.
Paul Fielder picked up three Barton wickets for 31 runs.
Thorverton were all out for 157 with more than six overs to go. Dave Baldock (30) and Fielder (26) had the only scores of note.
Barton seamer Mark Gilmour (4-50) was effective if costly. Jon Martin (2-24) and Cole Harford (2-16) kept the pressure on.
