ALPHINGTON defeated Feniton by 69 run to move up to third place in the C Division East table.
That’s five wins on the spin now for Luke Phillips’ side and not a solitary point dropped.
Alphington will aim to make it six on the trot against Whimple this Saturday in what may well be Matt Taylor’s last game of the seasons.
The new Exeter City manager is likely to be tied up with pre-season football after this weekend, which will be a huge loss for the Alphas.
In nine league games so far Taylor has made 500 runs at an average closer to 70 than 60.
A century has eluded Taylor so far, although there have been three near misses of 94 (v Kilmington), 91 (v Exeter) and 92 in last Saturday’s win over Feniton. What odds on a ton to sign off with?
Taylor and D J van Vuuren (49) put on 104 for the third wicket in Alphington’s total of 268 for seven.
Feniton got as far as 199 all out in reply with opener Graham Tucker (41) top scoring.
A collapse from 119 for four to 131 for eight scuppered any chances of a Feniton win. Stuart Shaw (4-18) and Mark Halse (3-44) did the damage.
Matt Kingdon (29) and Kevin Brandon (29no) made the final tally respectable with a stand of 55 for the ninth wicket.
DOMINIC Tuohey was quickly back into the spin of things for Exeter 2ndXI in their 114-run win over Ottery St Mary.
Exeter have not seen too much of their left-arm spinning all-rounder for the past five seasons or so while he has been working and playing in the Midlands.
A new job in Exeter has brought Tuohey back to the County Ground – as Ottery found out the hard way.
Charlie Kidson (76), Tuohey (35) and Mike Wilkinson (27) were the top three run getters in Exeter’s 243 for seven. Sam Brook had three for 49.
Callum Hogan (3-24) and Harry Conway (2-22) got into the early order as Ottery slumped to 40 for five.
Jack Malden (48) and Jody Clements (38) delayed the inevitable with a stand of 54 before Tuohey (5-12) bowled out the bottom half single-handed.
SIDMOUTH’S stately progress towards promotion continued with a nine-wicket demolition job on Whimple.
Whimple skipper Ben Silk will be disappointed at a final tally of 182 for nine considering his side were 120 for two thanks largely to openers Nathan Kidd (43) and Kevin Thompson (43).
The flight and guile of Sidmouth off-spinner Matt Cooke, who took four for 23, proved Ottery’s undoing.
Isaac Thomas’ run of form continued with 54 not out as Sidmouth chased to win inside 26 overs.
Thomas and Cooke (61) put on 103 for the first wicket with Nick Gingell (52no) the other undefeated batter.
Thomas, with 654 league runs at an average in the 90s, is one of the reasons Sidmouth have yet to lose a game.
Whimple skipper Silk was upbeat at stumps saying: “We came about fifth – in a two-horse race!
“All joking aside, it was a real pleasure to play at the Fortfield and it was a great experience too.
“We made a good start, but then were so conscious that it clearly needed a 250 score that we lost our way trying to build the total.
“Sidmouth look as if they will go on winning and our job is to make sure we win as many of our last seven games as we can.”
BRAUNTON were on the receiving end of a 10-wicket thumping away to second-placed Kilmington.
Jack Whittaker top scored for Braunton with 30 in a total of 157 all out.
Braunton were 57 for six having run into trouble against Maurice Beviss (2-19), Rob Crabb (2-42) and Brett Garner (3-48) before Dan Brierley (27) and Phil James (24) moved the score along at the end.
It was job done for Kilmington inside 19 overs as in-form Tom Gooding and Matt Rockett (48) knocked off the runs.
Gooding, who was undefeated on 95, has scored 636 league runs in 10 games at an average in the early 90s.
Kilmington skipper Brett Garner said: “We were very pleased with the afternoon's work.
“We wanted to bank the maximum 20 points and needed to bowl them out relatively cheaply to give us a good chance of getting all 20 and the plan worked a treat.”
On batsman Gooding and his rich vein of form, Garner said: “Tom [Gooding] is seeing it like a football and playing with real confidence.
“Sadly we don’t have him with us this coming weekend as once again it’s a case of five or six back and another three out!
“Hopefully, we will be able to field a first choice full-strength XI before the season ends.”
CLYST Hydon’s woes at the foot of the C Division East continued as they lost by 116 runs at Budleigh Salterton.
Budeigh reached 192 for nine in a 35-over game thanks largely to two main scorers.
Opener Donovan Robinson made 61 and Jack England 56. Fletcher Eaglesome and Mike Cliff had two wickets each for Hydon.
Hydon were all out for 76 before 20 over were bowled. Paul Earnshaw made 23 and Cliff 12.
Pick of the bowlers for Budleigh with six for 25 was Matt Murphy, the son of former 1st XI captain Joel Murphy.
Hydon are now 66 points adrift at the foot of the league table.
