SANDFORD beat Premier Division leaders Paignton by four wickets to throw the title race wide open.
The sides went into the first-against-second clash at Queen’s Park with 29 points between them and 80 left to play for in the last month of the season.
The one-two remains Paignton then Sandford, but the gap between them has narrowed to 15 points with 60 still up for grabs.
Exmouth, beaten at home by Plymouth, are 13 points further behind in third place and virtually out of title contention now.
Adam Small, weighing-up the title picture, said: “It will keep everyone interested for a few more weeks…”
Former Devon captain Neil Hancock – 50 back in April and stlll going strong – top scored for Paignton with 34 in an all-out total of 143.
Connor Ashworth made a patient 15 batting first wicket down before Jackson Thompson (3-36) trapped him lbw.
Middle-order runs were hard work for Paignton, who struggled to gain traction against the spin trio of Thompson, Tanbir Hayder (1-37) and Praison Alias, who had four for 22 on a rare first-team outing.
“The pitch offered a lot of turn, which our spinners took full advantage of to keep the pressure on,” said Sandford skipper Small. “Limiting Paignton to less than 150 gave us a chance.”
It looked like a comfortable run chase at first while Joe Hopkins, Thompson (30) and Alias (19) got the total up to 90 for two.
Hopkins kept going at one end while there was a minor slowdown at the other. By the time Hopkins (48) was out to Rory Medlock (2-25) the target was six to win.
Hopkins probably should have been there at the end but made the mistake of trying to reverse sweep Medlock and was caught at slip by Hancock.
Said Small: “The opening partnership of 42 between JT (Thompson) and Joe Hopkins meant Paignton never gained control.
“Joe batted nicely, allowing everyone else to bat around him and we eased over the line.”
[O] Things went from bad to worse for Paignton on Sunday when they crashed out of the Vitality Club Twenty20 Cup by eight wickets to Bath.
Paignton were bowled out for just 40 in the regional semi-final at Bridgwater, which Bath knocked-off in 2.5 overs. Penzance (226-6) subsequently humbled Bath (103) by 123 runs in the regional final.
