HEATHCOAT 2^ndXI have gone back to the top of the D Division East thanks to a 179-run win over Barnstaple & Pilton.

Exmouth 2^ndXI were top of the table going into round 14, but fell back to second after a 13-run defeat by Clyst St George.

A third-wicket partnership of 116 between Will Thompson (84) and Simon Sobczak (50) pointed Heathcoat towards a total of 278 for eight. Joe Du’Gay (27) and Dylan Penbethy (25) chipped in.

The B&P bowlers struggled for wickets, apart from James Lake (4-53). Steve Moore – nine overs for 20 runs – kept it tight.

Jack Moore (43) had the only notable score for B&P, who went from 56 for three to 74 for eight and on to 99 all out.

Wickets were shared with three for Ollie Blakeman (3-16) and two each for James Onley-Gregson and Matt Hodson.

Heathcoat’s lead is four points with Clyst St George to visit this Saturday.

UPOTTERY were left frustrated when scheduled opponents, Uplyme and Lyme Regis were once again unable to raise an eleven for the fixture.

It does mean Upottery banked a full 20 points without sending down a ball in anger.

Upottery skipper Mark Joyce said: “It was frustrating, especially to get a call as late as 10.30am on the match day. 

“However, these things happen and I guess they have a problem or two their end.”

This Saturday Upottery visit Chardstock for what now looks a ‘massive’ game in terms of who will be playing cricket in a higher division next season.

Just five points separate Upottery, in fourth spot, and Chardstock in third. Both are vying for the final promotion berth behind Heathcoat II and Exmouth II. 

Joyce says of the game: “It’s massive, there is no escaping that. 

“What’s more they beat us good and proper at our place earlier in the season when they ended our long unbeaten home record so you could certainly say we owe them one.”

SANDFORD 2^ndXI are still in the third D Division East relegation place despite beating North Devon by 98 runs.

The fly in the ointment for skipper Shaun Hawkins was Clyst St George winning at Exmouth to stay eight points clear of his side.

Hawkins was the star man for Sandford with 109 in their total of 232 for seven. He went in at 23 for one and was last out. In the process there was a stand of 63 with Tom Williams (23) for the third wicket.

David Hartley (2-32) and James Thomas (2-39) took the bowling plaudits for North Devon.

North Devon lost opener James Tyson to Brian Leach (2-21) in the first over, but were in no real difficulties as Joe Kelly (23), Rob Ayre 923) and Thomas (26) got them up to 70 for three.w

Wickets tumbled to Hawkins (3-18) and Simon Saunders (2-38) as North Devon veered to 84 for six.

After brief resistance from Jedd Foster (19), Tom Williams (3-29) took out the tail as North Devon were dismissed for 134.

CLYST St George beat former leaders Exmouth 2^ndXI by 13 runs to boost their prospects of dodging the drop.

Dan Kendall made 34 and Andrew Donovan clubbed five fours and four sixes on his way to a rapid 57 in CSG’s total of 186 all out.

Sean Day (2-340 and Sam Goodier (2-39) had top-four wickets, but the star of the bowling show with five for 25 was former wicketkeeper Greg Marks.

Exmouth seemed well on their way at 98 for none – James Horler (32) and Richard Baggs (78) the run getters – then it all went a bit wrong.

Baggs kept going, but Sam Read (3-27) and Donovan (2-30) chipped away at the other end.

When Baggs was sixth out at 154, Day (23) tried shepherding the tail, without much success. He was last out on 173.

Clyst are eight points clear of the drop spots; Exmouth have fallen four points behind Heathcoat at the top, but only need one more win to be confident of a top-three promotion place.

COUNTESS Wear have it all to do now if they are going to avoid relegation after going down by 88 runs to Chardstock.

Defeat leaves the Wear second from bottom, 41 points from safety with four games left. Lose this Saturday to fellow strugglers Sandford 2^ndXI and that will be their race run.

Chardstock were held to a modest 160 all out on a good day for Wear bowlers Kam Singh (3-28), Par Singh (2-34) and Mark Davey (2-30).  Openers Steve Allsopp and Gary Larcombe made a brace of 33s for Chardstock.

The Wear were soon in trouble at 27 for five in reply and 39 for seven didn’t represent any improvement. Sam Page (26) and Inder Singh (16) delayed the inevitable, which arrived at 72 in the 27^thover.

Rob Hutchings (4-8) and Larcombe (6-31) ran through the Countess Wear card.