TORQUAY beat Chudleigh by seven wickets to go past Paignton into second place behind new leaders Cornwood.
Chudleigh’s batting has barely fired this season – and even in the one game they won they were bowled out first for 85 by Ivybridge.
Eighty-five wasn’t enough when Torquay skittled them for that in 32 overs at Kate Brook – Mitch Pugh (4-16) and Kazi Szymanski (3-16) the bowlers who did the damage.
Guy Harrison-Roberts defied the Torquay attack for 59 balls while he made a top score of 17 after going in at 25 for four.
Rob Clarke had 16 and of the rest no one made more than seven. Four batters didn’t make a run between them.
It wasn’t entirely plain sailing for Torquay who lost openers Tim Western and Josh Hunt for single-figure scores to Mark Russell (2-11).
By the time Will Heather bowled Torquay skipper George Allen for 39, the target was 10 to win. Pugh (29no) closed out the game by hitting Alex Haywood for four.
Torquay are 10 points behind Cornwood going into round six this Saturday, a visit from Ivybridge. Bottom club Chudleigh are away to Abbotskerswell.
THERE was another early finish at Brixham where Abbotskerswell bowled the home side out for 96 and took less than 19 overs to win by seven wickets.
George Northcott (26) and Tom Hopper (11) steered Brixham to 55 for two, but after that it was downhill all the way.
Nick Watkin, Elliot Adams and Connor Adams had a wicket each, but the star of the show was Noah Tobias with seven Brixham wickets for 19 runs.
Abbotskerswell lost wickets at 11, 44 and 71 on their way to victory.
Opener Ricky Small-Boyce batted through for 26 not out. James Westlake (18), Watkin (17) and Charlie Mitchell (16no) were the supporting acts.
Chudleigh are the only team below Brixham, who make the long trip to Bideford this Saturday.
Abbots’ skipper Charlie Hill felt it was a good way to bounce back from the previous week’s defeat at Cornwood.
“We started well, restricting the runs from the start,” said Hill.
“Elliott came on and made the breakthrough then Nick (Watkin) took the vital wicket of their overseas (Abdul Muzammil).
“After that Noah Tobias just tore through them and Connor Adams at the other end gave nothing away. Brixham tried to counter them, but it didn't work.
“Our top five showed great composure seeing out the run chase. It could have been a tricky one had we had lost early wickets.
BUDLEIGH Salterton are moving up the A Division table after an 85-run win over visiting Bideford hoisted them two places and 18 points clear of the drop spots.
Skipper Trevor Anning, the former Devon and Minor Counties XI all-rounder, top scored for Budleigh with 60 in their 50-over total of 179 for six.
Anning got Budleigh to 90 for two with help from Marc Troman (16) and Ed Doble (27). Lloyd Murrin (28) and James Leat kicked on after Budleigh slowed to 117 for five.
Bideford skipper Paul Heard used eight bowlers, none more successful than Jack Ford (4-22 off 10).
Bideford seemed in a good place at 71 for two with James Heard (34) still there.
Skipper Heard’s dismissal to the combination of bowler Ed Doble and brother James behind the stumps, started a collapse Bideford couldn’t arrest
From 86 for four when Ford was caught behind, Bideford lost seven wickets for nine runs.
Doble the 18-year-old off-spinner had remarkable figures of eight overs, four maidens, five wickets taken for six runs scored.
Doble the 17-year-old keeper took five catches – howzat for cricketing symmetry?
