EXMOUTH old boy Ed Yeo showed his former club-mates no mercy with a killer innings in North Devon’s 86-run win at Instow.

Ed Yeo - master blasterYeo played for Exmouth in 2008 either side of stints with Torquay and Barnstaple & Pilton.

Yeo’s knock of 141 turned the game between North Devon and Exmouth on its head after the visitors had the best of the pre-drinks session.

Somerset’s Craig Overton, making a rare appearance for his club side, had been and gone for 28, which was definitely a bonus for Exmouth.

The primary run getter in a total of 113 for five when Yeo went had been Tom Ansell (57).

Exmouth were just starting to encounter problems in their bowling attack as they were one down having lost George Greenway to an injury in the pre-match warm-up.

Yeo and Kyle Verreynne were quick to take advantage, rattling up a stand of 153 in 19 overs as Exmouth chased leather, or retrieved it from the nearby beach!

Yeo offered a chance on 120 when he just cleared a fielder at long-on, who was deceived by the wind into running past a possible catch. It went for six instead.

Verreynne was finally out for 57 off 54 balls, but Yeo kept going and going.

Yeo was the last man out on 338, caught on the boundary by Alvin Pollard off the bowling of David Lye. He hit 12 fours and eight sixes having faced 96 balls in  97 minutes at the crease.

Lye finished with figures of five for 82, which included a hat-trick. Aaron Paul had three for 59.

Exmouth were bordering on seven-an-over territory from the start and were soon behind the clock as Josh King (2-47) and Matt Westaway (3-43) kept them in check.

Lye hit 43 in a running total of 103 for six and Dan Pyle made 76 quicker than run-a-ball rate before he was fourth out at 150.

As the rate crept up to nine-an-over, it was clear Exmouth were out of contention.

Sensible batting from Bob Dawson (23), skipper Richard Baggs (36) and Finlay Marks (26no) took Exmouth to 252 for nine and maximum bonus points.

The bonus points were some consolation for Baggs, although he said there were mitigating circumstances behind the defeat.

“It is always going to be tough when you lose your opening bowler, and one of your best fielders 10 minutes before the start due to injury,” said Baggs.

“Losing George cost us massively but take nothing away from Ed Yeo as that’s the best I have ever seen him play.

“We still bowled far too many four balls, but Alvin Pollard bowled really well into the gale from one end, which was a big effort.

“They hit far more boundaries than we did and their ground fielding was better.”

He added: “If North Devon put that side out every week they would be massive favourites to win the league.”