C WEST
DARTINGTON & Totnes dropped a point for only the third time this season in their 90-run win over Bridestowe.
Harry Baxendale’s side have a perfect 12-from-12 record at the top of the table and can boast 237 points claimed from 240 on offer. Being bowled out for 194 cost them a batting point for the second time this season.
As D&T are 58 points clear of Ashburton at the top of the table it won’t be too much of a worry to Baxendale.
Opener J P Snyman – averaging 60.33 in the league – had a rare failure (8) but there were runs in the locker for Jono Colegate (84) and Chris Cook (20) to compensate.
Sprightly Chris Lavis took four D&T wickets for 33 runs and there were two apiece for Eddy Jones and Alex Jopling.
Baxendale (3-27) and Snyman (2-6) soon had Bridestowe reeling at 39 for six. Callum Mallett (37no) batted through to the end, earning a couple of bonus points in an all-out total of 104. Cook (3-13) mopped up at the end.
ASHBURTON stay a distant second behind Dartington & Totnes in the C West standings following a nine-wicket romp against bottom side Yelverton.
Yelverton have now lost 12 in a row at the bottom of the table and are 86 points adrift of safety in a division with three relegation places.
Mathematically, if Yelverton lose to fellow strugglers Babbacombe this Saturday and runaway leaders Dartington & Totnes the week after, they are doomed.
Ben Grove (20), James Casey (21) and Richard Townsend (21) got Yelverton to 81 for three against Ashburton, Then it all went pear shaped.
Matt Coon (4-17) got into the top half of the order and Matt Churchill (4-17) dealt with the bottom as Yelverton slumped to 150 all out. Only Steve Colmer (23) put up much resistance.
Ashburton opener Lloyd White then bashed exactly 100 not out – 11 fours, four sixes – as the South Hams side raced to victory in 28.2 overs.
A stand of 119 between White and Jake Pascoe (27) killed the game as contest.
Ashley Berry, the Ashburton captain, said "We needed to bounce back after dropping points last week and we did that convincingly.
“We now have a run of games against teams around us in the division.
“With the table being so tight a bad run could make the league table look very different so it's important to keep the momentum going."
ANDY Kingdon did his old Babbacombe team-mates no favours by plundering an unbeaten 97 in Stoke Gabriel’s 104-run win at Walls Hill.
Kingdon, now in his second season at Stoke, shared an 87-run opening stand with skipper Jack Tolley (45) as Stoke made 210 for five.
Andy McVeigh and Matt Kierman picked up a couple of wickets each as Stoke stumbled from 99 for one to 115 for four then 130 for five.
Veteran Neil Robinson anchored up an end for 32 not out as he and Kingdon put on 80 unbroken.
Babbacombe slumped to 31 for six under pressure from Isaac Withington (5-21) and Jake Robinson (2-37). Billy Allcock made 29 not out against one of his former clubs and Paul Bates 20 as the home side scraped up 106 all out.
Stoke can feel confident of a top-finish or better this season. Babbacombe, 37 points adrift in the drops spot, have it all to do to avoid a second successive relegation.
SHALDON defeated Plymouth 2ndXI by seven wickets to move into the relative safety of mid-table.
Ollie Parsons top scored with 41 off 83 balls for Plymouth in their total of 199 for nine. He put on 57 with Luke Julyan and 33 with Adam Talbott.
Sam Knapman made 37 and the venerable Dave Burke chipped in 20.
Carl Woolnough (3-32) took the bowling plaudits for Shaldon. Richie Fisher (0-19 off 10) was hard to get away.
Ruben Minnaar led the Shaldon chase with a rapid 114, which came off just 48 balls and contained 11 fours and nine sixes.
After Minnaar and Karl Blackburn (26) put on 132 for the first wicket, there was only going to be one winner.
CORNWOOD won by four wickets at Kingsbridge, whose 165 all out was overhauled with more than 15 overs to go.
Matt Grose (31) and Steve Inch (25) got Kings up to 75 for two, but after that there were no stands greater than 32. Just chip-ins of 10s, 12s and 16s.
Cornwood’s Lee Baker (4-17) did the damage to the top five. Jamie Bailey and Dan Piddock assisted with two wickets each.
Cornwood stumbled to nine for two then 31 for three in reply before Mark Roca (65no) and Nathanial Bell (28) got to grips with the chase.
George Thompson (23) helped Roca take Cornwood most of the rest of the way.
Pick of the bowlers for Kingsbridge with three for 41 was veteran Neal Peach.
