PLYMSTOCK made light work of battering Dartington & Totnes by seven wickets in their B Division opener.

The visits made an unspectacular total of 144 all out in the 38th of their 45 overs – South African new boy Ed Verrall top scoring with 49 off 26 balls.

Plymstock raced to victory in just 19 overs, led there by Jack Horton with a whirlwind knock of 81.

No bowler was safe from the onslaught, most going for upwards of seven an over.

Verrall came in at two for one and got on with it, hitting a six and nine fours. He was bowled swinging the bat at Syed Ali, who with three for 23 from eight overs led the Plymstock bowling effort.

Verrall went at 68 or four and as Ali and Ian Whalley (2-18) got stuck into the middle order wickets fell regularly.

There was a small flourish at the end from Will Gornall (17) and skipper James Howrihane (30), but the returning Rob Cunningham (3-31) ended their fun.

It wasn’t plain sailing at first for Plymstock as Gornall picked off Jason Williams and Nick Carter in successive balls to leave he home side 14 for two

Gornall (3-42) bowled skipper Scott Mansfield at 48 for three but by then Horton  was just getting going.

Horton’s 81 came off 57 balls and included 14 fours and two sixes. His running mate in a stand of 102 unbroken for the fourth wicket was James Nicholls, who made 19.

You can’t do much more than take 20 points from the first game of the season,” said Mansfield.

Credit must go to Jack Horton whose positive batting attitude certainly paid off.

“He came to the crease after two wickets in twoballs from Will Gornall.

“Almost everything he hit flew off the bat for a boundary, on another day he could have been looking at a big hundred.

“With our overseas player Bronte Bess now due to be arriving in time for the short trip to Tavistock, we will be looking forward to what in recent times has been a closely contested game.”

James Howrihane, the D&T captain, said his side were good in parts at times against a side who only just missed out on promotion last season.

“Bar a couple of people we didn't really play well in any aspect of the game, “ said Howrihane.

“But we were still competitive for a long period against one of the stronger teams in the division.

“There is lots of room for improvement and we can be positive going forward.”