STOKE Gabriel’s nine-wicket win over Teignmouth & Shaldon has taken them to the top of the Tolchards DCL B Division.

The villagers were third in the table going into round three, but have moved past Barton and Budleigh Salterton into pole position.

Carl Woolnough, the T&D captain, gambled on batting first after winning the toss and his team only got as far as 96 for six in a game reduced from 40 to 20-overs-a-side.

Opener Seamus McKenna batted through for 35 not out from 57 balls faced. Josh Couch (19) provided the best of the chip-ins.

Jack Tolley (3-11) and Jake Robinson (2-38) were Stoke’s leading wicket-grabbers.

Abhishek Anand was Stoke’s only casualty on the road to a third straight win. He departed in the second over.

Duckworth-Lewis dictated a to-win total of 129 in 20 overs, which was knocked-off without further mishap by Mike Meech (55no) and Justin Pringle (61no).

Robinson, the Stoke captain, confessed he was surprised when Woolnough opted to bat. But he did not dwell on it once the game got under way.

“It is never great having a rain-affected game, but all you can do is play what’s on the score board,” said Robinson.

“I think we just played well. It's good to see different people getting runs each week and different people stepping up with the ball.”