THERE’S no stopping Sampford Peverell and Tiverton at the top of the E Division East, where they stay clear of chasers Honiton after beating Exwick by eight wickets.

Ray Grunsell (32) and Tom Cox were Exwick’s main run makers in a modest total of 125 all out.

Pick of the bowlers with four for 30 was Richard Pugsley.

Knocking off the runs was a cakewalk for SP&T, who were home and dry before the end of the 18th over.

Lee Hooper (34) and Joe Parkinson (31no) made a start, then Jonny Chilcott (54) hurried things along.

Third-placed Kentisbeare carried too much firepower for Bideford, who were also on the end of an eight-wicket drubbing.

Opener Andre Webb and Chris Luxton both made 50s and there was a 41 for Darren Willcocks in Bideford’s 203 all out.

Josh Farley (4-33) pipped Jake Johnstone (3-29) for Kents’ bowling award.

Paul Tatterton slammed 97 not out in a hurry to see Kents home with 18 overs to spare. Farley chipped in with 35.

Tatterton, with 481 runs at an average of 120.25 is the division’s in-form batsman at the moment.

Thorverton 2nd XI slipped to a six-wicket defeat in their meeting with Topsham St James at Station Road.

Alan Tait (52) and Grant Squire (57) top scored for Thors in their total of 207 for seven. Edd Kirby (3-32) was the best of the TSJ bowlers.

Aiden Pring (62no) underpinned the Topsham run chase, aided and abetted by Charlie Penn (36) and Narender Dhayal (23).

Becca Silk made an instant impact for Woodbury & Newton St Cyres in their five-wicket win over Ottery St Mary II.

Silk, who has played for Sussex and Devon Women, took four for 29 to help W&NSC dismiss Ottery for 129.

The debutante struck first to remove stubborn opener Dan Jeacock (31) then sent back a chunk of the middle order.

Tom Jeacock (32) and Albert Southall-Brown (24) were the only batters to last long once Silk and Darryl Stevens (3-19) started wheeling away.

The run chase was functional rather than spectacular. George Jarman (32) and Stephen Boundy (20) were the leading run getters.

Axminster went down by five wickets when they entertained Honiton.

After being invited to bat first the Axemen lost opener Peter Kiy, who was bowled by visiting skipper Adam Holmes for a 25-ball duck. That was at 26-1 and just two runs were added before Dylan Hurst was caught by Dave Haysom off the bowling of Ben Kidson for 20. That became 38-3 with the loss of Axminster skipper Paul Miller, bowled by Rob Ingram for two.

Bradley Conway (13), Sam Farrow (0), Joe Elsworth (12) and Max Felgate (0), were all soon back in the pavilion as Axminster slipped to 55-7.

Karl Hurst, batting in the number eight berth managed to top score with 29 to see Axminster into three figures, but the wickets kept falling as Ben Webb (2) and Dave Hayball (5) both fell to Ian Kelly leaving Alex Wraight not out for four as the Axminster innings closed on 108 after just 33 overs.

In terms of the wicket taking honours, all six of the Honiton bowlers claimed at least one wicket. Richard Hill’s figures were the best with his return being 3-13 from six overs and there were two wickets each for Rob Ingram (2-17 from six) and Ian Kelly (2-19 from six). The other wickets fell to Adam Holmes (1-30 from seven), Ben Kidson (1-21 from six) and Alan Ostler (1-0 from two overs).

The Honiton run chase was hit by the early loss of Ben Kidson, caught Dave Hayball off the bowling of Max Felgate for eight with the total on 18, and then Andrew Lapping fell to a second ball duck, with Felgate again the successful bowler to leave the reply 31-2

Michael Docherty became Felgate’s third wicket, bowled for 10 and Honiton skipper Adam Holmes was caught by Paul Miller off the bowling of Dave Hayball for 18.

However, Honiton opener Dave Haysom hit a fine 67-ball 43, a knock that included six fours and two sixes. He was dismissed before the end, bowled by Alex Wraight, which left Andy Canniford (17 not out from just 14 deliveries) and Joel Hext (not out five from 12 balls faced) to se Honiton over the winning line with the victory completed inside 26 overs.

Max Felgate topped the Axminster bowling figures with a return of 3-35 from nine overs and there were single wickets for Alex Wraight (1-29 from six) and Dave Hayball (1-12 from 3.5).