BOVEY Tracey are up to fourth in the Premier table after beating Torquay by 76 runs on the Recreation Ground.

On a rainy day by the seaside, Bovey Tracey made 228 for six in 38 overs, and messers Duckworth Lewis calculated that Torquay would need 231 to win in the same time.

Torquay were behind the rate at the halfway stage on 68 for three and finished a long way adrift on 154 for nine.

For Bovey it was a fourth successive win after two defeats at the start of the season.

“It was another great team performance and everybody played their role,” said Bovey skipper Toby Codd, who was a net bowler for the Afghanistan World Cup team at Taunton the day before the match.

For Torquay it was a rude awakening after they had defeated Sidmouth seven days earlier to claim their first league win of the season.

“We were brought back down to earth on Saturday,” said Torquay captain George Allen.

“We were well beaten in all departments by a good Bovey team and what’s especially disappointing was our ground fielding and catching, which we’ve worked hard on in training.

“The only positive is that teams below us also lost so we haven’t lost any ground.”

Bovey opener Brian Chari belted 11 fours on his way to 54 off 41 balls as Bovey accelerated from the start. He was second out on 82 to Jordan Hoffman (2-24).

Abraham Kopparambil (42) and Pete Bradley (28) added another 63 then Ash Causey (46) took the running total to 210 for six with a selection of partners.

Torquay were eight for two with James Degg and Allen both out cheaply and it became slow going as Hugo Whitlock (3-25), Chris Bradley (2-27) and Ryan Bougourd (1-31) bowled mean eight-over spells.

Elliot Moses made 44 but that was not enough to keep up with the clock. Next best when the time ran out was Neal Osborn, who was dismissed hit-wicket by Whitlock for 24.