BABBACOMBE defeated Cornwood 3rd XI by 58 runs to move within touching distance of the E Division West title.
The Walls Hill side were already assured of promotion going into the penultimate game of the season, but hadn’t been able to shake-off Kenn in the actual title race.
As second-placed Kenn were seven-wicket winners against relegation short-listers Lewdown, the title race isn’t over yet. Babbacombe need four more points against lowly Whitchurch this Saturday to go up as champs.
Babbacombe got to 185 for nine in 45 overs thanks to bits and pieces sprinkled through the card. Opener Matt Williams made 33, as did Adrian Lipton in the middle order, and Henry Stubbs hit 28 in boundaries in a rapid 30 at the end.
All six Cornwood bowlers took a wicket. Charlie Martyn, Jack Lane and Aviral Srivastava had two.
Cornwood looked in good shape at 82 for one with Duncan Cumberland (58) and Srivastava (34) dug in. It was a different story at 86 for four after Jack Smith (3-21) got to work.
There was a brief breathing space until Cornwood stumble again, this time from 111 for four to 117 for seven. Lipton, Smith and Marcus Tanton all claimed poles.
Cornwood had yet another collapse waiting in the wings: from 127 for eight to 127 all out in the space of four balls with Tanton (3-21) to the fore.
LEWDOWN face a last-day fight for E West survival after suffering a seven-wicket defeat at upwardly mobile Kenn.
While Kenn were clinching promotion straight back to the D Division West after a season-long hiatus, Lewdown dropped behind Whitchurch into the bottom two,
Lewdown need seven more points against Bridestowe & Belstone 2nd XI this Saturday than Whitchurch earn against promoted Babbacombe to stay up.
Kenn spinner James Gosling – with three wickets for no runs in nine balls at the end – consigned Lewdown to 159 all out.
The heavy lifting had already been done by Hugh Stronge, James Mason and Alfie Mason with two wickets each.
Opener Jacob Samuels made 69 before Gosling flushed him out late in the day.
Kenn lost wickets at 13, 30 and 128 in the 30.5 overs required to knock-off the runs.
Opener Martin Swannell (63no) and Gosling (43) put on 98 to end any doubts about the outcome.
WHITCHURCH rowed out of the E West bottom two thanks to a 27-run win over Bridestowe & Belstone 2nd XI.
Lewdown were 10 points ahead of Whitchurch going into round 17 of 18, but now the positions are completely reversed.
The Wayfarers are not out of danger yet though. They face champs-elect Babbacombe this Saturday at the same as Lewdown entertain Bridestowe & Belstone.
On what is likely to be a nail-gnawing last day, Stokeinteignhead, Whitchurch and Lewdown are all jostling to go down with bottom side Paignton, whose appointment with promoted Kenn is unlikely to provide the miracle result they need to cheat the relegation reaper.
Openers Richard Potts (68) and Ben Hodge (73) gave Whitchurch a 121-run start against B&B. Nigel Barriball was 42 not out in a total of 225 for seven.
Chris Lavis (3-29) and Richard Drake (2-35) were easily B&B’s most effective bowlers.
Phil Woods, B&B’s in-form opener, ground out 73 that helped the pursuers reach 132 for two. Toby Gostling (42) had a hand in a stand of 65.
The baton was dropped by the middle order as the response slowed to 144 for five. Sreenath Sundan (18) and A R Kumar (16) put some effort in, but too late.
What Hodge (3-39) and Marc Kerswill (2-46) had started was wrapped-up by Nathan Prout (2-30_ and Darren Sambells (2-43) as B&B faded to 198 all out.
PLYMPTON 2nd XI lost by four-wickets to Stoke Gabriel 2nd XI in a low-scoring encounter on the Eastley Memorial Ground.
Andy Ball (3-8) took all the wickets as Plympton slumped from 61 for none to 67 for three with Jake Agnew (37) and Luke Oxenham (24) among those dispatched.
Chris Harrison (4-23) then sparked a second collapse to 84 for seven. It was a short hop from there to 115 all out. Joe Coppola was last to go for 16.
Stoke’s run chase was not without its issues – Billy Pitman (3-26) and Isaac Rowsell (2-26) made sure of that – but they got over the line despite a couple of stumbles.
Mitch Trewin made 22, Kyle Larnder had 37 and Kai Horsburgh was 20 not out at the end.
PAIGNTON 3rd XI’s 55-run win over Stokeinteignhead gave them a wafer-thin chance of avoiding relegation from the E Division West.
The Torre Valley North side have to defeat promoted Kenn this Saturday AND hope Whitchurch and Lewdown suffer heavy defeats against Babbacombe and Bridestowe & Belstone respectively. It is a tall order to say the least.
Ella Gill (40) and Sam Kirkham (46) got Paignton to 161 for nine despite disruption from Jamie Clinkett (3-12).
James Wakely (5-24) and Seth Collins (3-25), with support from Callum Knight, shot out Stoke for 106.
