ALPHINGTON are heading for a third-place finish in the C Division East following an emphatic 100-run win over Ottery St Mary.
Luke Phillips’ side have only lost twice in the second half of the season, which would usually be considered promotion form.
A woeful first six games is the reason Alphington have not been closer to the promotion race, although hopes are bound to be high for 2019.
Ottery have done enough to stay in the division for another year and avoid a second successive relegation. Skipper Will Harrison will see that as a step in the right direction.
Mark Halse (88) and Phillips (60) put on 144 for the second wicket in Alphington’s total of 248 for five. Ryan Amesbury made 35.
Ottery were on the back foot at 46 for four – Tim Collier (3-24) doing the damage – and never really got going.
There were occasional outbreaks of run getting from Henry Mutter (20), Jody Clements (28) and last man Harrison (22), but nothing to worry Alphas unduly,
Halse took four for 26 and Phil Walker (3-65) polished off the tail as Ottery were bowled out for 148.
Alphington make the short trip to Exeter 2nd XI on Saturday. Ottery have a derby date with relegation worriers Whimple.
WHIMPLE face an anxious last day outing against Ottery following their 105-run defeat by champs elect Kilmington.
Ben Silk’s team are only five points clear of the third relegation place, currently occupied by Braunton.
Budleigh Salterton 2nd XI and Clyst Hydon are already down. One of Whimple (203pts), Feniton (202) or Braunton (197) will go with them.
Josh Short (55) and Billy Reed (90) were Kilmington’s leading run scorers in an all-out total of 250. Opener Tom Gooding hit 24, which takes him to 944 league runs for the season. A thousand beckons against Budleigh this Saturday.
Silk (4-23) took Whimple’s bowling honours ahead of Matt Brown (3-34).
Whimple had it all to do after sliding to 21 for three. Bits and pieces from Nathan Kidd (23) and Devon Nightingale (32) got them up to 82 for five.
Silk (32) and Will Bardot (22) got the score up to 137 for seven. After that it was downhill to 145 all out.
Wickets were shared with Ollie Reed (3-17), Matt Pile (2-28) and Tom Olive (2-9) posting the best returns.
BRAUNTON have to win against relegated Clyst Hydon on Saturday to avoid suffering the same fate – and even that might not be enough to save them.
A 77-run defeat away to fellow strugglers Feniton last time out dropped Braunton into the C Division East bottom three.
Feniton moved ahead of Braunton on the back of the result and are five points clear with a game to go. Whimple are a point ahead of Feniton and also in relegation jeopardy.
Braunton will be safe if they beat Clyst Hydon and Feniton lose to Sidmouth 2nd XI, who are going to finish runners-up.
The fall-back position in the event of a Feniton win is for Whimple to lose their derby date with Ottery St Mary.
Feniton were all out for 206 with an over to go at Station Road. John Buckland (42) and captain Jon Pyle (35) rescuing them from 115 for five.
Joe Barnes (3-39) edged Braunton’s wicket list from Mark Johnson (2-20).
Braunton got to 42 without loss thanks to Mike Taylor (14) and Callum Mitchell (22) – then collapsed spectacularly.
Five wickets went for five runs added – Matt Davies (5-22) doing most of the damage – and when Alex Hodges fell lbw to Pyle (3-14) the score was 57 for six.
Phil James (39no) put up some resistance, but Feniton were on top now and bowled out Braunton for 129.
SIDMOUTH 2nd XI cruised to a seven-wicket win over Budleigh Salterton 2nd​ XI in the derby clash at Ottermouth.
Byron Knowles (3-38) and Jordan Fowler (3-22) prospered with the ball for Sidmouth either side of a miserly nine-over spell from Charlie Dibble (2-12).
Donovan Robinson (48) had the only score of note for Budleigh on the way to 127 all out.
Sidmouth, resigned to second spot and missing out on promotion to Kilmington, knocked the runs off in 35 overs.
Knowles (42) and Anthony Griffiths (39) were the not-outers at the end.
Sidmouth wind up at home to Feniton this Saturday.
CLYST Hydon are still involved in the relegation scrap, even though their own fate was settled some time ago.
Hydon and Budleigh Salterton 2nd XI are already relegated, but any one of Braunton, Feniton or Whimple could be going with them.
And Hydon could have a say in who it is as their last game for now as a C Division East side is at home to Braunton.
Whatever the outcome, skipper Ian Sutton will hope for a better showing than the one against Exeter 2nd XI last time out.
Skipper Sean Langford smashed 162 at the top of the order in Exeter’s total of 349 for four. Mike Wilkinson made 45 – he and Langford put on 117 - and Charlie Fanous (52) added 139 with his skipper.
Sinthuran Thevaraj (45), Sean Devine (23) and Graham Trude (20) had the only scores of note as Hydon were all out for 174 and lost by 175 runs.
Wilkinson spun out three for 12 and Luke Unsworth bagged two for 18.
