Faizan Riaz – winning knock for Plymouth against Paignton<br>credit: Gerry Hunt

PLYMOUTH clobbered Paignton by nine wickets to claim third place in the final Tolchards DCL Premier Division table.

Paignton laboured to 109 all out in the 36th of their 50 overs and were probably fortunate to have made as many as that.

Dan Goodey (2-14), Hal Kerton (2-24) and Sam Stein (1-31) reduced Paignton to 19 for four between them before a mini-recovery got the score up to 45 for four.

Rory Medlock, who went in at 52 for six, dealt with the spin of Matt Petherbridge (2-26) and Fahad Ali (2-10) far better than most before him and was the top scorer with 28 before the innings slewed to a halt.

Plymouth needed fewer than 18 overs to knock-off the runs and only lost James Degg on the way there.

Faizan Riaz went in a 30 for one after Degg departed and lashed 73 not out off 50 balls – eight fours, four sixes – in an unbroken stand of 85 with Teddy Haffenden (16) that got the job done in a hurry.

Plymouth were 21 without loss at the end of the first over, a nine-baller from Paignton’s outgoing captain George Benton that included 15 extras, most of them wides.

Jon Varcoe, the Plymouth captain, hopes third in the table will be a launchpad for better things next year.

“We have competed in every game and blown away a few sides, which shows how good we can be,” said Varcoe.

Over and out! Paignton's George Benton“Next year it'll be about doing it week in week out to hopefully challenge up the top 

“Our young players are really talented and with experience will become more consistent.”

Benton will carry on playing for Paignton, but said the time commitment was more than he could give.

“After doing it for three or so years it's been great, but I have got too many commitments to carry on and be able to give my all as captain,” said Benton, who got Paignton back into the Premier Division and kept them there after a yo-yo existence for several seasons.

Looking back on the past four months, Benton said: “It has been a very strange season, that's for sure.

“A lot of positives for the lads to take that's for sure and plenty to learn from.”

Congratulations to Heathcoat on winning the league again. They deserved it in my eyes.”