BUDLEIGH Salterton beat Paignton by 53 runs in a rain-affected encounter to enhance their own promotion hopes and hinder their rivals’.
Max Waller (61) and Rob Craze (51) both made half centuries as Budleigh reached 204 for eight in 42.2 overs.
Paignton were left a target of 176 to win in 37 overs when all the stoppage time was factored on – and couldn’t keep up with the rate.
Wicket tumbled in an attempt to catch up – Waller had three - and Paignton were all out for 123 in the 35th over.
Budleigh are back up to third in the table while Paignton drop back to fourth going into the second part of the season.
Waller went in at 49 for one after Rob Shergold (2-52) broke the opening stand between Matt Junk (26) and Elliot Rice (21).
Craze arrived in the next over from Shergold and went on to share a stand of 90 with the Somerset staffman.
Although Sam Richardson missed out, debutant Trevor Anning (36) and Craze put on 49 before Chris Kelmere (2-36) and Kevin Hinton (2-22) picked up some bowling points for Paignton.
Paignton got to 40 for one thanks to Connor Bryan (21) and Peter Taylor (17), dipped to 48 for three against the spin of Waller and Andy Procter (2-20) then got to 101 for five before the real trouble started.
Craze (2-19) nipped out Shergold and after that only Richard Ashworth (21) offered much resistance as Junk (2-20) and Waller (3-24) took the last five wickets for 22 runs.
