SOUTH Devon gave themselves a fighting chance of staying in the C Division West when they defeated Cornwood 2nd XI by just nine runs.

And if South Devon are going to stay up it really will be a scrap. This Saturday they go to second-placed Bridestowe, who are arm wrestling with Stoke Gabriel for the lone promotion place.

The last Saturday of the season sees South Devon (9.60pts) up against Teignmouth & Shaldon (10.91), currently the side they have to finish ahead of to stay up.

Brixham (10.92) could get sucked into the bottom two this Saturday if they lose to Teignmouth & Shaldon and South Devon win. Bottom side Hatherleigh (6.55) are down and out already.

South Devon were bowled out for 102 with Andy Bees (3-44), Sam Griffiths (2-8) and Jack Brown (2-19) taking most of the wickets. 

James Allen (35) top scored for South Devon, who have found runs hard to come by all season. Next best was opener Ali Wright with 18. No one else made more than nine.

The Corns collapsed from 37 for two to 54 for seven in reply and despite Griffiths (13) and Bees (10) having a go at the end they were all out for 93. 

Alex Bridgeman and Lahiru Samaradivakara had two wickets each.

There were some anxious moments at the end as last pair Bees and James Bowden tried to win it just by staying there, a tactic that produced 14 runs before Bees snicked Salinda to keeper Wright.

Allen, South Devon’s winning captain, praised the bowling unit for their role in the victory. 

“After being bowled out cheaply our opening bowlers really set the tone, backed up by some great fielding,” said Allen. “I was very happy with all 11 players’ contributions.”

PAIGNTON beat Ashburton by 83 runs to maintain faint hopes of snatching top spot and promotion from the C Division West.

There is only one promotion place out of the Division and you have to finish top to claim it. With two games to go the runners and riders are Bridestowe (15.82pts), Stoke Gabriel (15.11), Paignton (14.36) and Ashburton (14.36).

Ashley Berry, the Ashburton captain, has not abandoned all hope of finishing top, even though with Brixham and Cornwood to play it appears a tall order.

“This was a disappointing result, but fair play to Paignton, who played very well,” said Berry.

“We will still give it everything in our last two games and see where we are.”

Mark Orchard rattled along to a top score of 90 for Paignton in a sizeable tally of 237 for seven.

Along the way for Orchard there was a stand of 106 with Brenton Pedley (36). After Orchard was fourth out on 166, Carl McFarland made 56 in a hurry with six sixes and two fours.

There were two wickets each for Ashes bowlers Steve Edmonds (2-68), George Yabsley (2-52) and Matt Churchill (2-22).

Jack Harman bagged (3-26) bagged top-order wickets for Paignton, among them in-form opener Jake Pascoe (32), then Steve George got into the middle and lower order.

George bowled his way to a five-for-24 haul as Ashburton subsided from 128 for five to 154 all out. 

Dan Coles (43) was George’s first scalp and with him out of the way the bottom half collapsed in a heap.

STOKE Gabriel stay hard on the heels of Bridestowe in the C West promotion race after beating Brixham by 81 runs in the derby clash on the Eastley Memorial Ground.

Andy Kingdon stroked 58 off 97 balls and was the Stoke Gabriel anchorman as they reached 178 for nine in 45 overs. Ben Robinson (29) and Sean Dwyer (17) both chipped in.

Abdul Muzammil (5-20) finally took out Kingdon after a 97-ball stay and accounted for most of the middle order, Brixham bowlers Tom Stephenson and Mike Barron bowled at below four an over for just one wicket each.

Brixham were bowled-out for 97 by Isaac Withington (4-24) and Dan Bullock (4-17), with a wicket each from Andy Ball and Kyle Lardner.

Barron made 25, Dalton Sanders had 12 and Lee Upham was 13 not out when the final wicket fell in the 35th over.

Lardner, standing in for hospitalised Stoke skipper Jack Tolley, said: “It was a great team performance with every player from 1-11 playing a part.

“Andy Kingdon made an important knock then Bullock and Withington bowled unplayable spells.”

Stoke were involved in the Corinthian Cup finals day at wet and miserable Ivybridge on Sunday where they faced Plymouth 2nd XI in the first semi-final.

Despite Kingdon batting all 20 overs for 84 not out in a total of 144 for five, Stoke bowed out by three wickets despite having the city side reeling at 35 for four. Plymouth lost in the final to Thorverton.

Said Lardner: “Every player should be proud of themselves as we were missing five 1st XI players and Andy’s should had been a match-winning knock.

“Conditions didn't help when we bowled, but credit to Plymouth batting superbly after a early collapse.”

TEIGNMOUTH & Shaldon gave leaders Bridestowe a scare before going down to a two-wicket defeat with 10 balls to go.

Karl Blackburn top scored on 41 for T&S, who mustered 225 for nine in 45 overs.

The top three of Seamus McKenna (30), Seb Linnett (27) and Todd Ballman (31) got T&S up to 161 for four. Blackburn, Tshepo Legodi (22) and Joe Wilcox (28) topped-up the tally in the late overs.

All six Bridestowe bowlers took at least one wicket. Tom Pengelly (3-33) and Tallan Burns (2-43) were the only multiple wicket takers.

Bridestowe seemed to be making serene progress towards win number 10 while James Ewen (36), Jack Hatton (21) and Burns (73) moved them to 202 for five in reply. Then Burns got out to Carl Woolnough (3-33) and Bridestowe wobbled to 202 for eight.

Super veteran Mark Fogerty (6no) and Pat Ewen (14no) took their time and stayed together long enough to make the 24 needed to win the game.

Teignmouth & Shaldon are the only side to beat Bridestowe this season and his side’s performance in the rematch has encouraged skipper Woolnough for the relegation fight ahead.

“We nearly did the double and it just shows what could have been had our availability had been more consistent throughout the season,” said Woolnough.

“We were behind the eight-ball for much of the Bridestowe chase but the fight from the lads to claw it back was brilliant.”

“We have two massive games coming up now and I fully expect the lads to fight tooth & nail to stay in the division.

“It was a huge shame we could not take the final two wickets, but fair play to Pat Ewen: he played the situation brilliantly and just waited for the bad ball to guide them home.”

Dan Fogerty, the Bridestowe captain, admitted: “It was a bit too close for my liking.”

Fogerty added: “The pitch was bit of a minefield, but we never turned up in the field or with the ball.

“Luckily Tal Burns turned up with the bat and Pat Ewen was composed enough to finish it off for us.”

MATT Petherbridge claimed a four-wicket haul for Plymouth 2nd XI in their 108-run win over C West relegation candidates Hatherleigh 2nd XI.

Petherbridge (4-32), just back at Mount Wise from a spell with Callington, took out four of the top seven as Hatherleigh subsided to 106 all out.

The Forresters – Ruben (21) and Danny (20) – made the only scores of note for Hatherleigh.

James Toms made 44 at the top of the order for Plymouth, who slowed-up mid-innings as Richard Tidball (2-29) and Tom Carroll (2-24) pinned them down.

Aditya Sanapala (38) and Tom Hughes (50no) helped get the total up to 214 for eight.