SHOBROOKE Park’s slide down the table has taken then into the B Division bottom two after they after they lost by four wickets away to leaders Barton.
It was Shobrooke’s seventh defeat on the trot and left them in relegation jeopardy.
Four games into the season Shobrooke were unbeaten in second spot. They have not won since.
Shobrooke ran into early trouble against Barton’s left-arm spinners Stuart Bowker (3-28) and Matt Crampton (2-35) and found themselves at 45 for six.
Mike Searle (24) and Will O’Sullivan (29) started a fighbtack and with Ben Trenaman knuckling down for 33 not out off 53 balls a total of 141 all out was reached.
Trenaman (2-24) and Craig James (2-48) had an opener each as Barton started hesitantly. At 46 for three former Devon keeper-batter Andy Hele (69) was joined by Alex Hunt (25no) and their stand of 85 took Barton within touching distance of victory.
Shobrooke host Seaton this Saturday when they will be looking to do something about the three points between them and Ipplepen, the side they have to get ahead of.
TAVISTOCK showed Filleigh no mercy on the way to a 10-wicket win over the deposed leaders at the Ring.
The holiday season has not been kind for deposed leaders Filleigh, who turned up with a depleted side.
Devon women’s all-rounder Milly Squire was drafted into the Filleigh side and was one of only three batters to make a double-figure score (17). The others, in a total of 109 all out, were Jas Kalsi (11) and Dave Hart (29no).
Dom Snyman (4-33) and Shaun Daymond (3-16) led the bowling effort for Tavvy, aided and abetted by Charlie Barriball (2-30).
Tavistock openers James White (51no) and Ian Gray (49) had the runs knocked off inside 14 overs.
Victory lifts Tavistock into third place, three points behind Seaton in the second promotion place.
Filleigh’s third successive defeat drops them down to fourth.
Ipplepen were behind Shobrooke until they pulled off a six-run win over visiting Thorverton.
Pens totalled 185 in the 42nd of their 45 overs, thanks largely to their early order.
Opener Gareth Penrice made 31 of the first 36 on the board, then brother Mawgan (23) got the tally up to 100 for four with help from Ben Forsey (30).
Callum King (25) and Harrison Gorny (25) got runs lower down before Jake Choules (3-37) winkled out the lower order.
Thorverton, who had former captain Gareth Hess appearing for the first time this season, lost wickets at the wrong times after a decent start.
Ali Chilcott (25), Ben Coe (38) and Hess (22) had all been in and out reaching 136 for seven.
Debutant George Heard (18) and Jack Stirling (17no) got the target down to 25 with two wickets left. That proved just a few too many for Jake Broom (11) and last man Choules.
Seb Powell took three for 36 and Keith Wakeham two for 23 as Thorverton were bowled out for 179 with a complete over to go.
Thors remain mid-table with a two-defeat cushion between them and the relegation places.
Thors’ skipper Andy Pitt said: “It was incredibly disappointing to get so close and lose, but we had left our fairly long tail a lot to do at 136 for seven.
“I was very proud of their effort especially George Heard on his 1st XI debut.
“I was pretty happy with the bowling performance considering they got off to a bit of a flyer. Everyone chipped in and did their bit
“And it was great to get full bowling points for the first time in a few weeks.”
Last Saturday’s game was the first back in Thorverton shirt for left-arm seamer Gill Crouch following his return from Heathcoat.
Said Pitt: “We have a couple of tough games coming up (Barton and Seaton) but we'll be back to full strength this week.
“Having Gill Crouch back is only going to be a huge boost.”
CULLOMPTON have opened-up and 11-point gap between themselves and the B Division drop spots after a crushing eight-wicket win over visiting Plymstock.
Opposing teams are used to being thrashed around by Cully’s big-hitting batsman Brendon Parr, but this time he did the damage with the ball.
Plymstock slipped from 61 for one to 84 for six with Parr (6-18) largely responsible.
James Nicholls (28) and Tom Mitch (28) had the only scores of note in a Plymstock total of 132 al out.,
Darren Paul (24) and Kenton Vos (23) got Cully up and running, leaving Jason Parr (44no) and Tom Mortiboys (23no) to wrap things up.
Mortiboys and Jason Parr had the game won after 24 overs courtesy of an unbroken partnership of 95.
Cullompton can improve their survival prospects by beating Ipplepen, the side below them, this Saturday.
RELEGATION worriers Babbacombe gave Seaton a scare last time out before slipping to a 57-run defeat at Court Lane.
Brian Cann (23), Joel Seward (48) and Robbie Prior (25) were the main run scorers in Seaton’s 166 all out. Ben Passmore took three for 36 and there were two wickets each for Janrich Viljoen, Paul Bates and Tim Goodwin.
At 105 for four in reply Babbacombe were on course for a rare win. Then Broad got out for 22 and the batting collapsed.
Six-wickets went for four runs added as Babbacombe slumped to 100 all out. Seward (4-19) and Joe Berry (3-5) did most of the damage.
