EXMOUTH defeated Plymouth by two wickets using the Duckworth-Lewis system to open their Premier campaign.

Plymouth raced along to 309 for seven in the full 50 overs – Scotland World Cup batsman flogging the Exmouth bowling for 129.

Gardiner can’t play for Devon but opening partner James Toms can – and his 95 in a first-wicket stand of 216 may have caught the eye of watching county supermo Keith Donohue.

A rain break meant Exmouth lost six overs of their reply and were set a revised target of 290 to win in 44 overs.

It couldn’t have been much closer as Exmouth needed two to win off the final ball of the game from Hal Kerton and tail-ender Alvin Pollard slammed it for four.

It was a fantastic win after a brilliant chase,” said Exmouth skipper Richard Baggs (pictured).

“We bowled poorly in the first 10 overs with too many four balls, but we clawed it back really well and stuck in there.

“We batted positively on a flat pitch with a quick outfield.

“Plymouth fought hard and kept picking up wickets.

“I thought we had blown it, but Alvin hitting six of two balls in the dark was the icing on it.”

Skipper Sam Stein said Plymouth were on course to win, but let the game get away.

“James and Hamish batted superbly to give us a very good score of 300-plus,” said Stein.

“The pitch was very good and we took advantage of that.

“Dave Burke bowled pretty well up top and Hal Kerton took four wickets.

“However some of our bowlers just leaked a boundary once an over, which didn't allow us to create any pressure.

“We have a lot of positives to take from the game, we also managed to pick up a few points.

“It is Cornwood this weekend, which we will be ready for. Just a few things to look at during training.”

Gardiner made 129 off 109 balls, largely in boundaries with 22 fours and two sixes, while Toms was marginally more circumspect on his way to 95 from 129 deliveries with a six and 12 fours.

The stand ended when Gardiner fell to Exmouth newcomer Callum French, who spun his way to three for 52.

Andy Atkinson (30) and Hal Kerton (20) got quick runs in the last 10 overs at Plymouth used up their wickets in hand with some bat swining.

Cheapest of the Exmouth bowlers with 10 overs for 42 runs was David Lye

Devon paceman Anning went for 71 in his 10 without bagging a wicket.

Exmouth lost opener Lye to David Burke cheaply, then set about getting on with the chase

Sandy Allen (51) and French made a 99-run dent in the deficit, both went close together to Rob Bennett and Kerton (4-43) respectively, then old stagers Baggs (56) and Bob Dawson (59) chipped away another 102.

Mount Wise has often been a happy hunting ground for Dawson as he scored a double hundred there for Devon against Oxfordshire in 2001.

Dawson went with the target down to 37 and Jon Evenentt got the majority of the in a quick 24 that left Pollard and Finlay Marks to wrap it up.