SHOBROOKE Park showed they should be taken seriously in the B Division promotion race with a hefty eight-wicket win at Bideford.

Bideford were up among the frontrunners at the start of the season with a stated aim of returning to the A Division sooner rather than later.

Shobrooke started slowly but have won three of their last four games now and are up to fifth in the table.

Chris Simpson’s side remain 28 points behind second-placed Ivybridge, but with third-placed Ottery on the agenda this Saturday can gain ground up the table with a win.

“The day could not have gone much better,” said Simpson. “We picked up 20 points and let’s hope we can keep the wins going.”

Bideford were all out for 149 with eight balls to go – no one making more than opener Tom Brend (24).

Brend, James Ford (14), Paul Heard (19) and Alex Hannam (16) got Bideford to 83 for two with 20 overs to go. Runs were hard to get against Jacques Budricks (2-29) and Ben Trenaman (0-17).

Three wickets went for the same number of runs as skipper Simpson (3-28) and James Bevan (2-21) got into the middle order. A pacy spell from Andrew Codling helped.

Bits and pieces from Fred King (15), Jamie Lathwell (12) and Mike Lemmings (17) detained Shobrooke in the field longer than they hoped.

Tom Youngman (2-24) polished of the tail-end batters.

“Tom and Jacques bowled really well, not giving much away,” said Simpson.

“Andrew Codling bowled nine straight through quickly and on another day could have had three or four wickets.”

The outcome was never in doubt once Jon James (49) and Budricks (89) had compiled 135 for the first wicket.

Bideford captain Heard tried seven bowlers in search of a breakthrough with limited effect.

Burdicks opened instead of Chris Ford, who was rested having kept wicket in the first innings.

“Jon and Jacques were outstanding,” said Simpson.

“It was great to see Jacques in the runs and Jon is in the best form I have known him in my three years at the club. Shame he didn’t get 50 as he never looked like getting out.”

Beaten captain Heard said Bideford were the architects of their own misfortune.

“At half way we were still confident, but we needed to start off on the front foot and our bowlers didn't perform,” said Heard.

“Length was the key and we were too inconsistent.

“Fair play to the Shobrooke openers; they hung around and played shots according to the pitch and it came with a bit of luck.”