Lake and Tidball send Plympton crashing to defeat + 'We all know our big games are in the back half of the season. Having played all of the top four in our last five games I have no concerns yet' – Alex Carr

Six appeal! Hatherleigh captain Mark Lake

PLYMPTON captain Alex Carr is reading little into his side’s 118-run defeat by fourth-placed Hatherleigh, or their spot 20 points above the relegation places.

Zimbabwean Tino Mutombodzi biffed 104 – 11 fours and two sixes in his third league ton of the season – as Hatherleigh amassed 281 for seven.

Plympton got to 146 for three in reply – Ben Privett leading the way with 45 – then collapsed to 163 all out as Mark Lake and Gareth Tidball spun through the middle and lower order.

Carr said his side could and should have performed better, but there are more important battles to come.

“We bowled and fielded really poorly, which set us up with a tough chase” said Carr.

“We were too slow in the middle chasing, which left us too much to do. 

“We all know our big games are in the back half of the season. Having played all of the top four in our last five games I have no concerns yet.” 

Mutombodzi, now on 725 league runs for the season, went in at 36 for two and took Hatherleigh to 248 for six.

Along the way there was a 168-run stand with Rob Cockwill (78) for fourth wicket.

Craig Donohue (0-35 off 8) and Carr (2-25 off 6) were the cheapest Plympton bowlers. Jonty Walliker (3-53) was leading wicket taker.

Plympton lost opener Craig Miles in the second over, but recovered nicely as Ben Privett (45) and Elliot Hamilton (28) got on top the seamers.

Justin Wubbeling (33) and Harry Kandampully (27) took the chase to 146 for three, the point at which it all went pear shaped.

Lake (6-35) and Tidball (2-15) skittled Plympton’s last seven batters for just 17 runs inside five overs. Lake had four Plympton wickets in the final 12 balls he bowled to complete the rout.

For Hatherleigh skipper Lake it was an empathic win to take into a make-or-break phase of the season.

Hatherleigh’s next three games are Bradninch (3rd), Cornwood (top) and Budleigh Salterton (2nd).

“It was another good win building momentum towards a massive three weeks,” said Lake.

“And another clinical performance with bat and ball against a dangerous side. 

“Getting a big score meant the pressure was always on them to keep up with the rate and they never really did that. 

“Now the big tests come that will define our season.”