PLYMOUTH’S Premier Division season ended on a low note when the were five-wicket losers at Bovey Tracey.

Bovey, still battling to avoid relegation, had more motivation than Plymouth, who knew they could not finish outside the top four whatever the outcome.

By dismissing Plymouth for an unimpressive 119, Bovey secured the points they needed to stave off relegation and send North Devon down with Torquay.

Plymouth dropped from third to fourth in the final standings, a minor disappointment as the city side were fourth in 2018.

Pakistani batsman Faizan Riaz top scored with 44 for Plymouth, which took his run tally for the season to 1,230 at an average of 87.86. Along the way Riaz hit seven Premier tons and broke his own league record of 1,100 set last summer.

Riaz fell to a diving catch by Bovey keeper Lewis Hammett after nicking a wide loosener from Ashley Causey.

Plymouth were already in trouble when Riaz was eighth out on 84. Sam Stein’s gritty 29 down the order helped Plymouth reach a slightly more respectable total.

Causey and skipper Toby Codd had three wickets each and former Devon captain Chris Bradley took two for 16 from eight overs.

Zimbabwean opener Brian Chari hit a season’s best of 74 not out to see Bovey to victory with more than 14 overs to spare.

Riaz (2-14) and Matt Petherbridge (2-14) made it as tough as they could for Bovey, who were a wobbly 77 for five when Hammett went out to join Chari.

Hammett was 15 not out when the winning runs were chalked up, courtesy of an Ethan Carlisle no-ball that went for four leg-byes.