Just four points separate Paignton and North Devon ahead of Sunday’s Division One meeting, with both sides firmly in the mix at the top end of the table and knowing victory will keep the pressure firmly on leaders Exeter.

Paignton sit second on 105 points after five wins from seven matches, while North Devon are fourth on 101, having also won five of their opening seven.

With Exeter leading the way on 118 points and Plymouth sandwiched between the pair on 103, the top four remain tightly packed as the season moves towards its decisive stages.

North Devon’s fourth-place position does not quite tell the full story. A nine-point deduction for player registration issues has dropped them to fourth and, without that penalty, they would currently sit second on 110 points.

They also travel to Paignton with some formidable credentials.

North Devon have passed 200 in six of their seven league matches this season and have bowled their opponents out in five of seven, underlining their strength with both bat and ball.

That batting consistency is reflected in their individual numbers, with Gee Lili, Megan Snape, captain Rose Ball and Lauren Bowden all having scored more than 180 league runs this season.

Lili ( pictured) has also featured strongly with the ball alongside Issie Ollis, giving North Devon plenty of options in an attack which has regularly taken all ten opposition wickets.

All of North Devon’s leading performers mentioned above are available for Sunday’s trip to Paignton, while they are also boosted by the return of Annie Townsend, who has not featured for the club since their victory over Paignton in August 2025.

Townsend has been playing plenty of cricket during her time away from the side, representing both the University of Bristol and Buckinghamshire Women’s First XI, adding further strength to Rose Ball’s side ahead of Sunday’s game.

Recent history is firmly on North Devon’s side too.

North Devon completed the league double over Paignton last season and also won both meetings between the sides in 2024, giving them four consecutive victories in the fixture.

You have to go back to the 2023 season for Paignton’s last victory over their North Devon rivals, a sequence the hosts will be determined to end this weekend.

With identical win-loss records, just four points separating them and both knowing victory will keep the pressure on Exeter at the top, the stage is set for a competitive game between two of Division One’s strongest sides.

Match officials: Ian Birt & Jonathan Musikanth