Simmons' (pictured) four-wicket haul has Bradninch & Kentisbeare on the rack | Linnitt leads brief run-chase

Exeter

BRADNINCH & Kentisbeare were denied a third straight win in the Premier Division when they lost by five wickets to Exeter on the County Ground.

Last season’s Premier Division champions struggled to get a foothold in the game as they stumbled from 61 for three to 80 for five and on to 94 for seven. Best of the bits and piece up to then came from Josh Farley (25) and Morgan Lamey (21).Owais Ahmad – joined in later!

Total embarrassment was spared by a run-a-ball knock of 67 by Muhammad Ismail– five fours, two sixes – who went in at 92 for six and was last man out on 192.

Tom Simmons (4-35) had three of the first five B&K wickets to fall. Owais Ahmad (2-25) joined in later.

Exeter set-off in hot pursuit through openers Oli Gribble (22) and Charlie Clist (57). At 117 for two when Clist was the first of Josh Farley’s three wickets it looked a done deal.

Unbeaten

Stand-in captain Seb Linnitt, deputising for the injured Jon Lewis-Oliver, batted through for an unbeaten 40 that helped win the game with more than 21 overs to go. Linnitt was involved in stands that added 144 in 24 overs.

Gary Chappell, the B&K captain, had to drop out on the morning of the match for personal reasons, which did the team no favours.

Chappell said even with mitigation in place, B&K should have done better.

“We were up against a strong Exeter side, compared to what they've been fielding in recent weeks, and we under-performed,” said Chappell.

“Exeter deserved the win: we move on to Tavistock next.”