DARTINGTON & Totnes are starting to pull away at the top of the table following a 60-run win over Babbacombe.
Plymouth Civil Service won at Ashburton to go second in the table, but trail by 22 points. The two sides meet at Foxhole this Saturday, so that margin is going to change one way of the other.
Long-time leaders Bridestowe lost again – Kingsbridge beat them by 39 runs – and are now down in third 27 points off the pace.
As for Babbacombe, hopes of a fourth successive promotion as champions seem to be over, although the 16 points between them and Civil in seconds means the play-offs remain an option.
Babbacombe may still be wondering how it went wrong for them at Dartington as they appeared in strong position on the chase.
Jono Colegate (72) and Mat Haw (23) put on 50 for the first wicket them D&T motored along with Ben van Niekerk (57) and Colegate putting on 90.
With Kalon Veale making 32, D&T posted 208 for six. Tim Goodwin (2-33) had the best bowling figures.
Babbacombe made a racing start – they were 60 for none after 12 and 100 for one at half way – with Chris Mabbutt (23), Cameron Fryer (44) and Andy Kingdon (31) all notching.
Then the decline started. Harry Baxendale (3-23) and Chris Cook (2-36) caused some alarm and Babbacombe slowed to 148 for nine.
DIVAN Marais scored a ton for the second week running as Chagford trounced Stoke Gabriel by 124 runs.
Marais made 116 and Jon Wright 48 in Chagford’s total of 219 for seven. JackTolley’s two for 34 was the best of some unremarkable bowling figures.
Stoke’s batting collasped for the second week running – all out for 96 - with Alex Bertam’s 34 as good as it got.
Wright capped a fine game with four Stoke wickets for 18 runs. There were two wickets each for Jake Griffiths and Del Lammonby.
Chagford might just make the play-offs if they get a move on. They are 17 points behind PCS&R in second place.
Stoke will be heading for the D Division West unless they do something about the 23 points between them and safety.
Stoke are away to Bridestowe this Saturday. Chagford can do Stoke a favour by beating Whitchurch, the team Stoke have to get ahead of.
KINGSBRIDGE are up to sixth - and look nothing like the relegation candidates they seemed in the first half of the season – thanks to a 39-run victory against Bridestowe.
Three wins in the last four starts have taken Kingsbridge out of the bottom two by 29 points.
They are not safe yet. But a win over doomed Ashburton this Saturday should just about do it.
Harry Badale (21) and James Rosewarne (25) were best batters for Kingsbridge in a total of 163 for nine. A tally of 42 extras clearly helped.
There were three wickets for Dan Fogerty and two for Gary Sizmur, who suffered a suspected broken arm while fielding.
Matt Dennis took Sizmur’s place at the top of the order and smashed a rapid 29 before he was stumped.
A promising 52 for none became 80 for five as Bridestowe lurched along. Bhanu daSilva took four for five when the slide was on – including Tom Fogerty for 26.
Mark Fogerty (31no) kept on end going, but wickets fell at the other with a one-handed Sizmur last man out at 124.
IT’S looking ominous for Ashburton now they are 49 points adrift at the bottom of the table with five games to go.
Ashes latest setback came when they visited Plymouth CS&R and lost by exactly 100 runs.
Civil made 265 for eight in 45 overs with Rob Gaylard hitting a top score of 76.
Civil were 45 for none, they lost Brian Gaylard (17), Ben Wilkinson (26) and Chris Sanders in a hurry, then went to 125 for four with Dan Winsor making 44.
The surviving Gaylard batted through to the end, putting on 49 with James Sharp (18) and 27 with Andy Hawker (21).
Colwill with two for 33 and the economical Matt Coon (1-27) took the bowling pats on the back for Ashburton.
Ashburton lost the game in the time it took to collapse from 53 for one to 56 for five.
Chris Sanders and Dan Winsor had two wickets each to speed Ashes on their way.
Will Coon (27) and Russ Lacey (27) showed some resolve, but Nick Cochrane (4-30) started dispatching the tail-enders.
Matt Coon made 30 not out at the end in a total of 165 innings closed.
Ashburton welcome Kingsbridge this Saturday.