CULLOMPTON are the new leaders in the C Division East after toppling Feniton.

Feniton were top by two points when they ran into Cullompton so it was always going to be a leadership contest.

Cullompton are now 11 points clear at the top from Feniton, who are eight points ahead of Clyst Hydon in third place.

Jason Parr and Brendon Parr both scored half-centuries in Cullompton’s imposing total of 272 for nine.

Jason Parr had three wickets and there were two each for Trevor Gwandu and Brendon Parr as Feniton were bowled out for 156 in reply.

Cully captain James Blackmore was glad to come out of ‘spicy’ contest on top and has his eyes on crackingon for promotion now.

“I am confident in the team we have, that we can beat all the teams in our division, so long as we play to our strengths and remain consistent,” said Blackmore.

“The intensity shown against Feniton was exceptional and we are now playing for each other and enjoying each other's success.

“So far so good, and if we can continue the form of the last three-four weeks, I see no reason why we can't win this league and promotion.

“Our derby match against Clyst Hydon will be the next real big test, so long as we get past Braunton this weekend.”

Blackmore (30) laid an 88-run foundation with Darren Paul and Jason Parr, who then started piling up the runs with brother Brendon.

Jason made 63 and Brendon 54 in a stand of 99 for the third wicket.

Gwandu (43) chipped in lower down.

Jon French (3-36) and Jonathan Pyle (3-42) were the most effective Feniton bowlers.

Feniton needed one of the top four to dig in for the long haul – and none did. Jason Parr (3-22) made sure of that.

Alex Frankpitt made 38 coming in at 50 for four, but the writing was on the wall by then.

The wickets were shared round – Gwandu and Brendon Parr claimed a couple – as Feniton faded.

Feniton go to Alphington on Saturday, Cullompton are away to lowly Braunton.

Mark Kingdon, the Feniton captain, said the result was disappointing but not a disaster.

“We hadn’t lost before Saturday and were always going to lose sometime,” said Kingdon.

“It is going to be tough this season as you have to win the division to go up as there are no play-offs because of the reorganisation next year.

“We will keep going and see where we are at the end of the season. If we don’t go up it won’t be the end of the world.

“Three Premier 2nd XI teams are coming into our division next season and the boys fancy having a crack at them and playing on their grounds.”

CLYST Hydon moved up to third in the table by handing out a 109-run hiding to Braunton.

Opener and captain Ian Sutton set the tone with 52 of the first 77 in the book as Clyst set about compiling 233 all out.

Rumseh Batagodage went in at 77 for two and came out at 209 for eight having scored 72.  The big stand was one of 67 with Chris Holmes (21).

Braunton captain Dan Brierley took three for 40 and there were two wickets each for Jon Baglow,  Mark Johnson ad Ed Holmes.

Baglow is now just two victims away from taking is 500th Devon League wicket.

Baglow opened the batting and made 28 for Braunton, but at the other end it was a tale of woe down to 49 for five with Kevin Sercombe (4-19) the destroyer.

Joe Barnes (31) and Brierley (36) delayed the inevitable for a while, but Clint Lewis (2-11) tied up the lose ends.

For skipper Sutton it was another 20-point maximum and close to a complete performance in all departments.

“It couldn't have gone much better,” said Sutton.

 “A good wicket became aa bit two-paced later on, so a good toss to win.

“Perhaps we should've got 260, but a little collapse put paid to that.

“A sensible partnership between Batogadage and Holmes meant pushed on towards the finish.

“Sercombe and Rhodes set the tone when we bowled with a good opening spell.

“After that we could squeeze the game with some tight spin bowling from Lewis.”

Hydon are at home to Countess Wear this Saturday.

Braunton skipper Brierley found some crumbs of comfort in his side’s  defeat.

Braunton, who host table-topping Cullompton this Saturday, are one off the bottom of the table and 28 point shy of safety.

It isn’t a great position, but Brierley says spirit is good and performances are getting better.

“We showed a massive improvement with our bowling and fielding display,” said Brierley.

“Batting display was a bit iffy, but the opening bowlers bowled tight and very well.”

“We just need a win to get some momentum.”

LEIGH Lorenzen fired an unbeaten 86 as Whimple defeated Clyst St George by seven wickets.

Opener and captain Chris Ferro made the top score of 78 in Clyst’s total of 173 for nine.

Veteran Tim Read made 47 and there were 30 extras – mostly wides.

No one else made more than seven and four batters – three in the to five – failed to score a run between them.

Lorenzen (4-30) was the pick of the bowlers, aided and abetted by Neil Maud and Mat Richards with two each.

Lorenzen and Kevin Thompson put Whimple on the way with a stand of 76 for the second wicket.

Henry Gordon-Lennox (11) was the largely silent partner in a stand of 75 with Lorenzen that took Whimple within two runs of victory.

Whimple move into mid-table. Clyst are hovering above the drop spots.

COUNTESS Wear captain Mark Davey hopes the one-wicket win over Alphington will be the spark needed to ignite the season.

One win in the previous six starts had the Wear in the bottom three – an they are still there now.

The gap between them and safety is down to nine points though and hopes have been raised of getting out of trouble.

Alphington posted a sizeable 248 for five – Matt Taylor (70) and Nick Halse (75) the main contributors – which Countess Wear knocked off with two balls to go and their last pair at the wicket.

Davey, who contributed 42 to the chase, said: “It was a fantastic win with everyone doing something.

“Availability has made it hard for us this season as we have a lot of young dads in the team who can’t commit to playing every week.

“For once we had out strongest side out – and we beat a very good team in a close game.

“Hopefully that will be a springboard for us to move up the table.”

The chase started ominously with opener Dave Jarvis falling to second ball to Ben Newcombe.

Gavin Darke with a brisk 53, James Bogue (15) and Davey all got the score up to 137 for five.

Par Singh (22) ad Jon Heaver (36) chipped away another 45 and at 206 for eight it was game on.

Kam Singh (31no) and Steve Holland got the target down to 14. Last man Owen Smith kept his end up while Singh got the runs.

Kilmington’s in seven-wicket win over lowly Uplyme. JOSH Short and Brett Garner were the destroyers for

Garner took three for 15 and J Short three for 39 as Uplyme were skittled for 109.

Short bashed 59 not out and Garner 30 as Kilmington won in a hurry.

Kilmington are17 points clear of the drop zone now. Uplyme are 21 points adrift at the bottom.