TORQUAY shoved Cornwood aside in the first-against-second clash at the Recreation Ground to grab the A Division top spot for themselves.

Torquay cracked along to 311 for four in their 50 overs – Mitch Pugh flogging the Cornwood attack for 134.

Tim Western (29) and Franco Kasner (16) gave Torquay an 83-run start, then George Allen and Pugh set about the Cornwood bowling.

Allen, who made 74 in a stand of 161 with Pugh was first to go. Pugh kept on going, adding another 62 with Tom Drake (21no).

By the time Elliott Staddon dismissed Pugh he had hit 19 fours and two sixes from 107 balls faced.

Any hopes Cornwood might have harboured of Pugh taking a breather at slip after his efforts with the bat were soon dispelled when Torquay skipper George Allen threw him the new ball.

Pugh took all the Cornwood wickets to fall as the visitors subsided to 35 for four in the first nine overs.

Cornwood pro Mo Salman dropped anchor for the duration after that and batted through for a unbeaten century as the Corns salvaged what bonus points they could.

Stands of 83 with Elliott Staddon (40) and 59 with Adam Goodliffe got Cornwood up to 238 all out. Four points earned from a 73-run defeat.

Salman – 12 fours and six sixes – was unbeaten on 125 when last man Josh Goodliffe fell to Pugh, who picked up three wickets in his second spell for match figures of seven for 17.

Torquay are the new leaders, Paignton are up to second after beating relegation worriers Ivybridge and Cornwood are down to third.

“It is great to be top of the table but we know that there's still a long way to go,” said Allen.

“We will just keep going game by game till we are over the line.”

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