ABBOTSKERSWELL’S A Division survival prospects are effectively over following a six-wicket defeat at the hands of Torquay & Kingskerswell.

The Villagers are now 35 points away from safety with 40 to play for and need too many massive favours by other teams to survive now. Their fate will be sealed this Saturday once they have played Plymouth.

Abbots were all out for 178, which was a disappointment after they had been 124 for three with more than 20 overs to go. Skipper Ed Smout-Cooper (50) and Tom Heath (23) got Abbots that far and James Tyler (33) took them a bit further.

Tyler – 300-plus league runs at a respectable 25.08 – has been one of Abbots’ few success stories in an undistinguished season.

Torquay & Kingskerswell’s main wicket takers with three each were Aaron Hearn (3-29) and the two Harrys: Baxendale (3-42) and Passenger (3-32).

Torquay & Kingskerswell lost veteran opened Tom Western two balls into their reply, but that was as good as it got for Abbots.

Chris Kelmere compiled his fourth A Division ton of the season that took T&K most of the way to victory over one of his former clubs.

Kelmere’s unbeaten 102, which took him close to 750 league runs for the summer, was backed-up by Nathan Roux (48) in a 28.3-over run chase.

Torquay & Kingskerswell captain Harry Passenger (above) made his full Devon debut earlier this week in the side that defeated Oxfordshire by 167 runs at Banbury. Passenger is pictured bowling from the Pavilion End at the White Post Road ground during Oxfordshire's first innings