THORVERTON defeated Kilmington by two wickets to shoot clear of the A Division relegation zone.

Harry Johnstone top scored for Kilmington with 50 in their total of 234 for nine.

Alistair Chilcott hit 94 not out for Thorverton, who eased over the line with nine balls to spare.

Victory lifted Thorverton 26 points clear of the second relegation slot, which is currently occupied by Kilmington.

With five games to go and a hundred points to play for Thorverton are not safe yet, but the pressure is certainly off them now.

Stand-in captain Matt Rockett (6) was the only Kilmington batter from one to ten not to reach double figures.

Opener Tom Gooding hit 28, Josh Cann stroked 27 and Josh Short made 26 in a running total of 136 for six.

Johnstone put on 45 with Oscar Oborn-Corby (26) and 32 with Ben Fuzzard (14) in a late dash for runs.

Jake Choules (3-35) was the leading Thorverton wicket taker. Jason van der Meulen (2-43) as next best and George Daldorph (1-34) have little away.

Paul Fielder (30) and Chilcott put up 45 for the second wicket after Dan Robbins went early. Chilcott batted on and on until the game was won.

The key stand, if there was one, was between Chilcott and Daldorph (24) for the seventh wicket. Thors were 160 for six when they came to together and 211 for seven when Rob Crabb (2-28) bowled Daldorph.

Had Kilmington held their catches it could have been a different story…

Choules, the winning captain, said: “It was a great game of cricket between two evenly matched sides.

“I felt we kept them just under par but was still tense during the chase.

“Chilly (Chilcott) was clinical and composed. I was so pleased for him.”

[0] BUDLEIGH Salterton wasted no time wrapping-up a seven-wicket win over Seaton after bowling them out for 160.

Former captain Ben Morgan came to Seaton’s rescue in the middle order with a run-a-ball 52 that pulled them out of a nosedive from 56 for one to 86 for six.

Budleigh’s Ed Doble spun away for a four-for 26 haul and there were three wickets for Will Oxland.

Budleigh lost opener Dylan Penberthy-Hutchings with the score on 12, which brought Chathura Peiris out to bat.

Peiris destroyed the Seaton bowling with 115 not out off just 69 balls – 14 fours, five sixes – as the runs were knocked-off early in the 22nd over.

Matt Hewer, the Seaton vice-captain, pointed out it went without saying that the team total as unlikely to be defended.

“However, Ben Morgan hit a nice 50 and we had at least set them a target

“Peiris just whacked us about all over the place and I hate to think how many runs overseas players have scored against us this year.”