STOKE Gabriel appear nailed on for promotion from the D Division West – probably as champions – following a 107 run win in the top-of-the-table clash with Plymouth 2^ndXI.

Second-placed Plymouth (233pts) trail Stoke (259) in a division with three promotion slots. The third looks like a straight fight between Yelverton (209) and, at a pinch, South Devon (192).

Stoke were all out for 187 with eight balls to go – openers Jack Tolley (53) and Nich Gwynne (34) the main providers.

Tom Hughes broke the 81-run opening stand on his way to a three-for-43 haul.

Geoff Martin (29) and Ollie Parsons (14) got Plymouth to 35 for one, then wickets fell regularly en-route to 80 all out. Going from 55 for two to 69 for nine was a sorry saga.

Gwynne (4-20) did a bit more damage than Jake Robinson (3-13).

Where next for Stoke Gabriel? More of the same, according to skipper Jack Tolley.

“As with most of the season we will be looking to collect all the available points we can and continue our record of only dropping one point in nine games - and in general, continue to enjoy our cricket as a team,” said Tolley.

South Devon can’t be ruled out of the D West promotion race just yet after beating Barton 2^ndXI by 165 runs.

South Devon skipper James Allen top scored for his side with 96 in a total of 265 for six.

Allen and Mark Andrews (66) put on 138 for the second wicket in the dash for runs against the Barton seamers.

Allen was fifth out on 234, which left Richard Beaumont (38) to keep the scoreboard ticking over in the latter overs.

Barton, who are propping up the table, made South Devon work for their win by valuing their wickets dearly. 

Veteran batsman Jim Parker faced 67 balls making 16 and there were similar acts of stubbornness from Gary Spencer and Alfie Payne.

Dale Adderley (29) was Barton’s top scorer in their all-out tally of 100.

Dinesh Raheja had a couple of wickets early, but the real skittling was done by Allen, whose four for 14 off nine overs took out the middle order.

Paignton 2^ndXI were 26-run losers in a low-scoring affair at Langton Park with Yelverton.

Ben Grove top scored in 31 for Yelverton, whose 157 all out was helped by chip-ins from Dan Cooper (22) and Geoff Brain (23). Paignton skipper Tim Ward took four for 20.

Yelverton skipper Sam Crompton then claimed five Paignton wickets for 44 as the Seasiders were rolled for 131. Sam Woodcock made 33.

Whitchurch were awarded 20 points for a walkover when Torquay 2^ndXI pulled out due to team-raising issues.

Plymouth CS&R were 133-run losers at Kenn, where the home side amassed 247 all out, thanks largely to Ben Challoner (71) and Ed Bragg (48).

Alan Smith (35) and Dan Windsor (27) had Civil’s only notable scores in a reply of 114 all out.

Hugh Stronge took four for 23 and Kenn skipper James Mason had three for five clearing up.