SHOBROOKE Park defeated local rivals Sandford 2nd XI by three wickets to stay second in the C East table behind Ottery St Mary.
But in a division with just one promotion place, the odds on Shobrooke making up the 19-point gap between themselves and leaders Ottery look slender.
It does not help Shobrooke’s cause that Ottery have a game in hand on them. If Ottery beat Upottery this Saturday, and Shobrooke drop too many points against Teignmouth & Shaldon, it could be all over.
Tyler Morgan-Huggett top scored with 60 for Sandford in a total of 203 for nine. There were two wickets each for Phil Anning (2-23) and Lucas Richards (2-39).
Andy Steer (18), Chris Simpson (48) and Rob Ewing (43) got Shobrooke up to 130 for two in reply. After a mini-stumble to 165 for five, bits and pieces from Greg Cole (19) and Jasper Viner (18no) wrapped things up.
Shaun Hawkins (9-2-18-3) was easily Sandford’s leading bowler.
OTTERY St Mary took another step closer to winning the C East title with a 59-run win over Exeter 2ndXI on the County Ground.
With three games to go Ottery are 19 points ahead of Shobrooke Park, who have played one more game.
Ottery’s second-wicket pair Neil Davey (25) and Brendan Coles (66) put on 65 after the first-over loss of opener Sam Brook.
George Mutter (23) jogged along for a while, then David Kingham (39) and Tom Jeacock (43) closed in on the final total of 239 for nine by putting on 89 for the sixth wicket.
Aashay Dube (3-43) was Exeter’s most successful bowler. Harrison Gribble (2.67) was the most economical.
Exeter found keeping up with the asking rate tough against miserly nine-over bowling from Joe Birch (2-35), Kingham (2-27), John Buckland (0-33) and Matt Davies (1-28).
Opener Calum Gundry made 36 and Elliot Barnes 52 in an Exeter riposte of 180 for eight.
EXMOUTH 2nd XI are teetering on the brink of relegation from the C Division East following their 212-run drubbing at Teignmouth & Shaldon.
Even with a game in hand on Exeter 2nd XI, the team they have to get past to reach safety, wiping out a 40-point deficit is a tall order for a team that’s only won once all season.
Seamus McKenna belted the Exmouth bowling for a rapid 134 off 82 balls – 15 fours, seven sixes – as the Riversiders marched to 362 for seven.
Harrison Linnitt (58) and Morgan Couch (42) opened with a 104-run pairing. Todd Ballman (33) and Alastair Cliffe (55no) put on 101 and 106 respectively with ton-up McKenna.
Exmouth captain Sam Radford did manage a half-century against his previous club, which was as good as it got in a total of 150 all out. Josh Austin made 39.
Kai Wilkins (5-40) had two goes at the Exmouth batting. Oscar McCallum picked up three for 26.
UPOTTERY didn’t hang about clinching a six-wicket win over Sidmouth 2nd XI.
Knocking off 134 to win was achieved in the 20th over with Jack Larcombe (32) and James Mitcham (42) going nearly all the way.
Mitcham perished with five needed to win. Ryan Botley hit the first and only ball he faced for six to seal it.
Charlie Brock (43) and Anthony Griffiths (30) had the only notable scores for Sidmouth.
