BRAUNTON 2nd XI fell short on the chase against Topsham St James, were a target of 173 to win appeared within reach.
When Braunton were 90 for three in reply with Mark Thomas (30) and Joe Mullens (24) not long gone, the chase looked on.
Collapsing to 103 or seven turned the tables Topsham’s way. Three wickets each for Theo Johnson (3-18) and Declan Wardell (3-13) skittled Braunton for 120.
The Shells had three main hitters to thank for getting up to 172 for nine. Opener Jonathan Sapwell made a leisurely 37, Wardell made 33 and Ross Treleaven got to 49 before he was eighth out.
Treleaven looked odds on for a 50 until he was bamboozled by Braunton debutant Paddy Halton, who bowled him all ends up.
Best of the nine-over bowlers were Mark Johnson (1-19) and wily old spinner Andy Paddison (2-15).
JAMES Bovey hit a patient 80 to put Alphington & Countess Wear on course for a seven-wicket win at Whimple.
Alphington & CW have their sights set on making an immediate return to the C Division East following relegation last season, and started in the best way.
Tidy bowling down the card – only Luke Wilson went for more than five an over – restricted Whimple to 196 for four. Spencer Wilcock made 80 and was involved in a 78-run stand with David Culshaw (31no).
Alphington & Countess Wear lost wickets at 11, 62 and 173 on their way to winning the game with more than three overs to go.
Ethan Goddard (29) got the chase started. Bovey and Lawrence Marsh (47no) took it most of the rest of the way.
ALEX Brooks marked his return to the cricket field with a five-wicket show for Bradninch & Kentisbeare 2nd XI in the 29-run D East derby win over Culmstock.
It was Brooks’ first serious game of cricket after a three-year absence and one he won’t forget in a hurry. It was only the second five-wicket bag of his career.
With Brooks taking five for 41, and two wickets each for Marcus Bush and Morgan Lamey, Culmstock were all out for 258 at Kensham Park.
There were runs down the order from Luke Dopson (77), Will Crossley (27) and Marco Bell (39), but not enough to pass B&K’s 287 for eight.
Lamey (73) and Ross Acton (72) were B&Ks main runs scorers. They put on 136 for the fourth wicket. Eliot Acton (27) and Sean Strange (49no) both chipped in.
Zac Salter (2-38) was the lone Culmstock bowler to combine wicket-taking with relative economy.
COHEN Naidoo made an instant impact for Budleigh Salterton 2nd Xi with an unbeaten 156 in the 40-run win over North Devon 2nd XI.
Naidoo, a Premier Division cricketer from South Africa, went in at 13 for two and was still there after 45 overs in a Budleigh total of 245 for five.
A stand of 173 for the third wicket with Marc Troman (53) was the highlight of the innings.
Steve Moore (3.11) and Navindu Vanderbona (3-57) were the only North Devon bowlers to stay below four runs and over. No one bowled a maiden!
Part one of North Devon’s pursuit was held together by former Devon batter Neil Bettis, who made 87 having gone in at first wicket down.
With Bettis there in a running total of 175 for four, North Devon’s prospects were promising.
It was a different story at 187 for seven with Bettis and Oscar Sheffield (30) out of the way.
Joel Murphy (4-38) mopped-up at the end as North Devon faded to 205 all out.
BARNSTAPLE & Pilton went straight to the top of the D Division East with a crushing 116-run win over Woodbury & Newton St Cyres.
Every batter in B&P’s top eight made it into double figures in a team total of 222 for nine. Jimmer Thomas was the last man out for a top score of 50. Matt Newton (37) and Tom Poole (27) weighed in.
Woodbury & NSC were under the cosh from the word go as opener Steve Boundy was bowled first ball by George Elnaugh (3-41). At 32 for five the writing was on the wall for W&NSC.
Mukesh Purohit (28) got the total up to 76 for six. Then the inevitable decline started. Thomas and Joe Hastie claimed two wickets each as W&NSC faded to 106 all out.
