SOUTH Devon were glad of a helping hand from veteran duo Jonny Martin and Richard Beaumont for earning them a three-wicket win in the derby date with Ipplepen 2nd XI.

Ipplepen only got as far as 192 all out thanks to an eighth-wicket stand of 72 between Harry Lewis (38no) and Andrew Bligh (30).

Other than 44 from Gareth Penrice at first wicket down, Pens had laboured for runs against Mali Marshall (3-19) and Jack Allen (4-23).

Marshall, in at 29 for one for South Devon, hit eight fours and three sixes in a knock of 54 that took the reply to 118 for four.

In the space of three overs South Devon collapsed to 123 for seven as Warrick Green (2-46) and Steve Bowden (4-23).

Not for the first time this season Beaumont and skipper Martin baled-out South Devon when they were in danger of being swamped.

Beaumont led the way with a steady 29 not out; Martin played a few more shots getting to 36 not out.

Victory puts South Devon on course for a top five finish this season. Ipplepen 2nd XI are in limbo as their future depends on where their first team finishes this season.

League rules don’t allow two teams from the same club to operate in the same division. If Ipplepen are relegated from the B Division – and they are in a drop spot at the moment – the 2nd XI would have to drop down as well to accommodate them.

And as the Pens are heading for a mid-table finish, that would be hard to take.

CHUDLEIGH eased their C West relegation worries considerably with a 12-run win over fellow strugglers Paignton 2nd XI on Queen’s Park.

The 23-point gap between Chudleigh and Paignton, who occupy the second drop spot, is massive at this stage of the season. If Chudleigh can beat Kingsbridge this Saturday, they will be out of sight.

Chudleigh batting depth was illustrated by 40 up top for skipper Mark Solway, 20s in the middle for Harrison Windsor-Horne and Rajlumar Neeiam, and 52 not out from 50 at number eight for Yogi Yogesh. Thirty-seven wides were useful.

Mark Orchard, who opened the bowling for Devon in his salad days, took three Chudleigh wickets for 32 runs. Mark Gilmour (2-31) and George Woodcock (1-35) gave little away.

Paignton fought all the way – they had to in their position – with chip-ins from Sam Simcox (37), Arthur Ray (35) and Carl McFarlane (29) getting them to 171 for five.

Momentum was lost during a stumble to 187 for eight. Orchard (33) kept going, but when he was ninth out on 208 the end was only five balls away.

Mark Russell (2-34) knocked over both Paignton openers, Sam Haywood (4-21) did the business in the middle order, and Will Heather (2-34) and Rob Clarke (2-44) swept up.

ASHBURTON look in good nick for Saturday’s long predicted promotion decider with Cornwood 2nd XI after warming-up with a 110-run win over Teignmouth & Shaldon.

It was Ashes third successive win by a hundred runs or more and their eight on the trot since they last lost by three-wickets to Cornwood in the first half of the season.

Only four points separate Cornwood from Ashburton in the league table. With only one promotion place on offer, finishing second isn’t worth a thing.

No one made a half-century or more for the Ashes in their 45-over total of 256 for nine. Steve Edmonds (46) got closest, followed by Aditya More (36), Ashley Berry (35), Jack Warren (33) and Harry Bannister (24).

Liam Gardner’s five-wicket haul (5-44) stood out in Teignmouth & Shaldon’s bowling figures.

Teignmouth & Shaldon ran into trouble during the period when they slowed from 58 for one to 89 for five with Ross Jameson (34) among the casualties. Edmonds (3-25) was largely responsible.

Seamus McKenna (29) soldiered on until he went at 131 for seven to Matt Churchill (4-28). Teignmouth & Shaldon faded away after that to 146 all out.

DROPPING down to the D Division West and three wickets each for Al Stewart and Matt Trevorrow pointed Plymouth CS&R towards a 41-run win over Torquay & Kingskerswell 2nd XI.

A brace of 33s from Jamie King and Nuruz Zamal were the top runs off the bat in Civil’s totak of 221 all out. Next best with 26 was Malik Wasim. Torquay & Kingskerswell gave away 48 extras, including 27 wides.

Vivek Kulkarni (3-33) and Tobias Delahunty (3-38) were T&K’s main wicket taking bowlers. Mustavi Emdad (2-14) posed problems for the middle order.

Stewart (3-17), who took three of the first four T&K wickets, and Trevorrow (3-48) had T&K in all sorts of trouble at 102 for eight.

Stewart had taken the prized wicket of Delahunty, who made a century against Ivybridge 2nd XI seven days earlier, while Trevorrow’s haul included Devon over-50s run getter Mike Pugh.

Ethan Kulkarni (36) and Ritesh Dabhade (23) detained Civil longer than expected before they were the last two men out in a total of 170.

TALKING of D Division West and Abbotskerswell 2nd XI guaranteed an immediate return there after an eight-wicket win over Teignmouth & Shaldon 2nd XI.

And a win this Saturday over second-placed Tavistock 2nd XI, which certainly cannot be taken for granted, would clinch the E Division West title.

Teignmouth & Shaldon, who are hovering just above the bottom two, were bowled out for 154. Jamie Lee (4-32) butchered the top five and there were wickets later on for Will Small (2-22) and Erik Gregersen (2-27).

Robert Murfin (38) and Usamah Iqbal (34) registered the only scores above 20 for T&S.

Abbots had a minor wobble at the start of their reply when Simon Harrison and Max Yates went cheaply.

Gregersen (54no) joined Nick Guest (44no) on 40 for two and the pair closed out the win with more than 11 overs to spare.