Jack Moore, who flogged the Hatherleigh bowling all around the ground<br>credit: Conrad Sutcliffe - no re-use without copyright owner's consent

DEFENDING champions Heathcoat won at Bridestowe & Belstone by five wickets to take a step closer to retaining the NDL title they won last season.

Although second-placed Bideford also won – they triumphed over Westleigh – they have completed their programme, which limits the impact they can have on stopping Heathcoat.

As the league table is calculated using an average-points formula, Heathcoat only need seven more or a rain-off in their final game against Sandford to retain a title-winning mean. The answer will be known in a fortnight.

Bridestowe & Belstone scored an all-out total of 260 against Heathcoat. Sam Ewen opened up with 68 an Shaquan Glasgow hit a rapid 85. They shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 102. After they were dismissed, Tallan Burns, batting at 10, to hit an entertaining 61.

Matt Harrison (4-39) took the bowling plaudits taking four for 39, backed up by skipper Dan Pugsley (3-37). Archie Goodrick grabbed a couple

Jeremy Bedford opened, and broke the back of the chase by hitting 112. Fellow opener Tom Hatton chipped in with 26, and Richard Pugsley contributed 47. Once they were out, it was left to Michael Humphries (35no) to see his side home, with. four overs in hand. 

Bideford  defeated visitors Westleigh by 13 runs in a much tighter affair at Westward Ho! 

Bideford were all out for 177 off 33 overs. Jack Ford top scored with 64; next best was 33 from Marcus Bulled. Veteran James Ford  weighed in with 24. Marcus Bulled – runs and wickets for Bideford

Wickets fell regularly. Joshua Fisher took three for 34  and there were two each for James Starkey and Kyle Faber.

Opener Faber top scored with 38, but it was nip-and-tuck throughout as wickets fell regularly whilst Westleigh chipped away at their target. With two overs to go, and last pair Richard Pearson and Joshua Fisher at the crease, all three results were possible.

Sadly for Westleigh, Bulled (3-25) bowled Pearson for 23 to keep his team's title hopes alive. Jack Ford and Julian Hayter both claimed a couple.

North Devon travelled to Hatherleigh, and won a remarkable game by five wickets

Visiting skipper Steve Moore chose to field and must have been regretting his decision, as Hatherleigh racked up 352 all out. 

Opener Greg Solkin hit 99 off 82 balls, skipper Charlie Presswell got 60 off 48, then Emmerson Wood bludgeoned 80 off just 37 balls. Fifty-four extras helped the cause. Nav Vanderbona (3-82) Ed Wilson, Def Mawadzi, and Jack Moore took nine of the wickets to fall.

Mawadzi – 89 off 63 – gave it a go. When he was out with the score on 165 in the 22nd over, the odds were firmly in Hatherleigh’s favour. Then Jack Moore arrived at the crease and completely changed the direction of the game

Moore hit 124 not out off just 48 balls plundering16 fours and seven sixes, evoking memories of his DCL innings against the same opposition in 2022, when he hit 166 off 82 

Moore shared an unbeaten partnership of 189 with Henry Polhill (89no) to see his dad’s side home with more than three overs in hand

Newton Tracey lost by 38 runs at Exford in a high-scoring Division Two game. Exford sored 274 for eight in their allotted 40 overs. Oli Ahern top scored with 85,  Sam Price got 65, next best was extras with 35. Rakesh Nair had the best bowling figures with three for 33.

Newton were always behind the rate as a result of tidy Exford bowling, Ahern and Ryan Jones both taking a couple, Daniel Church top scored with 68. Rumit Patel hit 52 and Connor Robson contributed 38 as Newton closed on 236 for eight.

Holsworthy conceded their game at Lynton & Lynmouth.