SKIPPER Mark Russell performed the hat-trick to speed Stokeinteignhead towards a five-wicket win over Newton St Cyres.

St Cyres were all out for 78 in the 29th of their 45 overs with Russell their destroyer in chief.

The captain;s figures were six for six in 5.2 overs and his last three scalps comprised the hat-trick.

For the record they were Andy Cork (caught), Jack Withers (bowled) and last man Tom Dowie (lbw).

Sreejth Sankaranarayanan softened up Saints with three for 34.

Knocking off the runs wasn’t without incident for Stoke, who were seven for two then 23 for three.

It became a bits-and-pieces job with chip ins from Mike Lang (13), Sankaranarayanan (19) and Russell with 16 not out getting Stoke over the line in the 17th over.

It was Russell’s first hat-trick of the seaason, but the second by a Stoke bowler as Tom Wills got one against Buckland Monachorum.

KENN defeated Topsham St James by three wickets in the derby clash at Trehill.

St James lost their way after a promising start and slipped from 69 for two to 95 for eight and on to 110 all out.

Opener Callum Treleaven made 32 of the first 51 on the board Aiden Pring had 17 and of the rest Joe McShane (18) had the best of a sorry set of scores.

Simon Green (3-13) cleaned up at the end, but the real damage was done early by Ben Gannon (2-22), Rob Parsons (2-24) and James Gosling (2-8).

Kenn lost opener Ben Challoner two balls in to Edd Kirby (2-27), but looked on course at 45 for one.

Fifty-seven for five with Ed Bragg just out for 31 was a different story as Mark Phillips (3-28) bowled St James back into the game.

Mike Hutchings (27no) batted through to win the game for Kenn, backed up by Lyle Muir (11) and Pete Chislett (15no).

SHALDON repaired the damage done by their defeat against Yelverton when they beat Exwick by eight wickets.

And a double bonus for the Optimists was that chasers Yelverton lost ground as their game against South Brent was a weather casualty on a wet day on Dartmoor.

Shaldon are now 14 points clear of Ashburton, also rained off, and 30 clear of Yelverton.

They will be disappointed not to preserve those margins this Saturday when bottom side Buckland visit the Hazeldown Oval.

Exwick made 153 for nine in their 45 overs – Kris Calderhead making a top score of 60 off 89 balls, Ray Grunsell made 25 in a stand of 65 with Calderhead.

Bowling-wise Shaldon have few rivals in the division for quality. Ross Aitchison bowled nine overs for 16 runs, ex-Premier pair Ryan Bougourd (2-30) and Tshepo Legodi (2-18) gave little away and skipper Mark Couch whipped out four for 30.

Shaldon were home and dry before the 20th over was completed, sent on their way by a quickfire 48 off 30 balls from opener Karl Blackburn.

When Blackburn was out on 58, surviving opener George Thomas (47) was joined by Andy Lockyer on the dash for victory.

Thomas fell with 26 runs needed, which Lockyer (41no) knocked off in cahoots with Bougourd (5no).