SAMPFORD Peverell & Tiverton captain Joe Parkinson said there is still plenty of room for improvement from his side despite a 58-run win over Barnstaple & Pilton.
Tom Hatton top scored for SP&T on 53 in a 45-over total of 226 for eight.
Newcomer Freddie Bucknell then took three wickets, and there were three more for Rob Venn, as B&P were bowled out for 168 in reply.
The home side were unable to bat all 11 men as Tim Norton ended up in hospital in Exeter after colliding with brother Freddie when both went for the same catch.
Parkinson said it was a ‘better performance’ than the one that led to a 31-run defeat by Chardstock, but far from perfect.
“We are still far from our best,” said Parkinson.
“We stumbled to 227 thanks to a good knock from Tom Hatton.
“Freddie Bucknell bowled brilliantly on his debut and we always felt in control of the chase.
“But the boys know they have to apply themselves with the bat and bat for longer. It’s North Devon on Saturday: fingers crossed we can turn it on.”
Harry Southgate (49) and Tim Hill (20) got SP&T moving with the bat. Sammy Broomhead (27), Jonny Chilcott (19) and Hatton kept the scoreboard wheels turning.
Joe Hastie (3-58) was B&P’s leading wicket taker. Lee Cole (1-24) and James Roe (2-28) kept the runs down for nine overs each.
Barnstaple & Pilton started steadily with Roe (41) and Matt Newton (32) chugging along to 84 for two.
After Bucknell and Hatton slowed things down for a while, Hastie (36) and Cole (27) started making inroads again.
Cole’s demise at the hands of Bucknell (4-46) was the beginning of the end for B&P. Their last four wickets went for just two runs scored with Venn (3-31) in particular cashing in.
UPLYME & Lyme Regis charge on at the top of the D East table after brushing Feniton aside by 72 runs.
Stands of 75 between Joe Elsworth (18) and Mark Batey (44), and another of 86 between Andrew Harrison (41) and skipper Sam Farrow (73) pointed Uplyme towards a total of 258 for eight.
Jack Tucker (3-58) was the most successful of Feniton’s bowlers. Matt Davies (1-29) was the cheapest across nine overs.
Openers Mark Salter (37) and David Thayre (73) shared a ton-up stand that got the chase up and running.
A four-wicket burst from Harrison (4-41) reduced Feniton from 106 for none to 121 for four and a second salvo from Steve Batey (3-39) had the home side reeling at 135 for six.
John Buckland batted through for 36 not out in Feniton’s total of 186.
Uplyme are 13 points clear of Alphington & Countess Wear at the top of the table. The two sides meet this Saturday at the Chronicles in the division’s match of the day.
KENTISBEARE slipped into the D East bottom two after suffering a nine-wicket drubbing at the hands of Alphington & Countess Wear.
Kents recovered from seven for three to reach 58 for four on the back of a stand worth 51 between Scott Chappell (34) and Alex Brooks (37).
A mini-collapse followed to 84 for seven before lower-order batters Marcus Busch (23) and Tom Martin (33) helped get the total up to 157 all out.
Kav Dias, Ollie Byles and Mark Halse all took two wickets each for A&CW. Stuart Shaw went one better with three for 44.
Openers Nick Halse and Dave Jarvis effectively won the game on their own for A&CW.
Halse hit 78 in boundaries in an unbeaten 106 and was the more aggressive partner in a stand of 154 with Jarvis (35).
CLYST Hydon dropped back from second to third after losing a high-scoring appointment with North Devon 2ndXI by 61 runs.
Jay Rothery smote 22 fours on the way to 126 off 81 balls in North Devon’s sizeable total of 362 for five.
Rothery put on 167 with Reuben Windley (74) who also added 85 with Ed Yeo (56). Joe Kelly chipped in with 35.
Alex Newman’s two-for-41 haul was as good as it got with the ball for Hydon.
Hydon’s batters were not quite able to match North Devon’s, but a final total of 301 for five was respectable.
Louis Marks (64) and Graham Trude (45) shared a stand of 97 and there were partnerships of 60-plus involving Keith Herselman (65no), James Billington (47) and Newman (19).
