By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

HEATHCOAT did not hang around on the way to an eight-wicket win over Premier Division strugglers Hatherleigh.

Malcolm Cloete (3-14) and Jack Menheneott (3-15) did most of the harm as Hatherleigh were skittled out for 74 inside 29 overs. Ed Butler picked up two for 25.

There were more extras (17) than any individual Hatherleigh batsman actually made. The best was the dozen runs made by Paul Heard.

Heathcoat had the runs knocked off before the end of their 18th over thanks to an third-wicket partnership of 73 between Jamie Drew (25no) and skipper Peter Randerson (43no).

One or two alarm bells may have sounded in the away dressing room after Heathcoat lost both openers – Toby Lochead and Finn Stoneman – without scoring a run.

Winning captain Randerson said Heathcoat had never been better this season.

“We produced great team performance and, arguably, our best all-round display this summer,” said Randerson.

“We bowled beautifully and gave nothing away.

“It was great to be able to beat the rain and get over the line for a 20 point win.”

While Heathcoat have opened up a 12-point lead over North Devon at the top of the table, Hatherleigh are 31 points of safety at the bottom.

Reflecting on their sixth defeat of the campaign, Hatherleigh captain Mark Lake said: “We were very disappointing with the bat with a lot of very soft dismissals in our worst performance of the season.

“It is one we can't dwell on for too long as we need to really get our season going over the next month, otherwise we our going to cut ourselves adrift at the bottom.”