Five wickets for Ben Whalley as Plymstock shoot clear at the top | 'Everyone bowled well and Ben Whalley bowled excellently' – Tom Mitch

Tyrese Karalese, whose three-wicket haul put Clyst on the back foot

PLYMSTOCK’S lead at the top of the Tolchards DCL B Division stretched out to 27 points after a ‘bonus’ win over Clyst St George.

While Plymstock were defeating Clyst by six wickets at Dean Cross, the rest of the division was enduring a saturated Saturday afternoon

No one else in the division got a game started, which meant eight points each for a cancellation.

Plymstock’s 20-point maximum against the villagers, almost doubled the 15-point lead they had over second-placed Budleigh Salterton on Saturday morning.

Ivybridge, who were rained-off against Ipplepen, are a further five points behind in third spot.

Ben Whalley, on only his second outing in the Plymstock 1st XI bagged five Clyst wickets for 20 runs as the villagers were bowled-out for 97 in exactly 35 overs. Tyrese Karalese (3-19) and Rob Cunningham (2-16) did the damage up top as Clyst slumped to 19 for four.

Further progress was blocked by Clyst’s limpet-like batter Chris Ferro, who made 14 off 76 balls while putting on 34 for the fifth wicket with Freddie Creer (22).Three wickets – CSG's Andy Donovan

Ferro also added 26 with Par Singh (18) for the eighth wicket before he was ninth out.

After Duckworth-Lewis had been consulted, Plymstock were set 96 to win in 37 overs. They got the runs in precisely 15.

Star of the show on the chase was opener Ollie Mulberry, whose brisk 43 from 33 deliveries contained six fours and two sixes.

Mulberry departed at 62 for three, leaving skipper Tom Mitch (25) to take Plymstock to the brink of victory.

Andrew Donovan (3-35) removed Mitch with four needed to win, which next man in Connor Porter obtained by hitting the first ball he faced for four.

Mitch had numerous pats on the back to hand out, starting with the bowling department.

“We bowled very few boundary balls,” said Mitch. "Everyone bowled well and Ben Whalley bowled excellently.

“Olly Birleson gets a special mention for keeping very well on his debut and taking a couple of great catches,

“Olly Mulberry was excellent during the chase, batting aggressively to chase down what could've been a tricky total.”

Dan Kendall, the Clyst captain, said had he won the toss the outcome might have been different.

“With the weather and pitch conditions as they were, losing the toss was a significant disadvantage,” said Kendall.

“We were well short of our best, but keen to chalk this down as a one-off. I expect to see us respond with a better performance against Ipplepen this Saturday.”