By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

PAIGNTON defeated Shaldon by eight wickets to take over at the top of the South Three table from Stoke Gabriel.

While Stoke Gabriel were involved in a tied match against Ashburton, Paignton made light work of beating Shaldon after bowling them out for 83.

Steve George (2-4) and Jack Harman (2-39) had Shaldon wobbling from the start then Tim Robinson took four for 20 as the last six wickets fell for just 28 runs scored.

Paignton openers Mark Smith (27no) and George (22) got the first 47 wiped off and by the time Cole McFarland  (21) was second out the target was eight to win.

Paignton (15.67pts) are fractionally ahead of Stoke Gabriel (15.5) with one game to go, which is between the two play-off rivals at Queen’s Park this Saturday.

ASHBURTON tied with Stoke Gabriel in a see-saw game that swung this way then that.

Stoke made an inauspicious start as openers Jack Tolley and Ben Robinson were in and out quickly to Steve Edmonds (3-18).

Andy Kingdon rebuilt at one end, but wickets continued to fall at the other to George Marshall (3-28) and Matt Coon (2-13).

Harrison Yates (21) helped Kingdon get the score up to 113 for six. Two wickets lost for three runs added swung it back Ashes’ way.

Kingdon took the strike as much as possible as Stoke added 45 runs in the final five overs to reach 150 for nine.

Jake Pascoe, Ashburton’s teenaged opener, was their top scorer with 82 off 97 balls in a total of 150 all out.

Pascoe dominated the batting to the extent that when he was third out the score was 133. Ashley Berry made 18 in a stand of 79 with the young tyro. It looked like Ashes were on course for victory.

Stoke skipper Tolley (5-23) and Seb Ansley (2-25) were the dominant bowlers. Harrison Yates (1-16 off 7) gave little away. 

Ashburton got down to the last five overs needing just 12 to win with three wickets intact and leveled the scores with two balls left. Charlie Towers was run out by Kingdon off the fifth ball of Withington’s last over