Champions and promotions confirmed across Devon cricket

Heavy early morning rain tried its best to upset the penultimate Saturday in the Tolchards Devon Cricket League, but the weather forecast came true and sportingly allowed play as intended in almost every fixture across the county, albeit with late starts and reduced overs.

In the A Division, Plymouth beat Abbotskerswell by five wickets to confine them to bottom place. Bridestowe beat Thorverton by two wickets, but Torquay and Kingskerswell lost at home to Tavistock, by four wickets, in a last-ball thriller at The Rec.

North Devon were crowned A Division champions after their three-wicket win at Hatherleigh. Bridestowe are second (227 points) from Plymouth (225) and Torquay and KK (216).

A nine-wicket win at Exmouth clinched a second Premier Division title in three years for Gary Chappell’s Bradninch and Kentisbeare. A 28-point lead over Sandford means they cannot now be caught.

But at the foot of the table, the last day relegation/survival “must-win” game is back on at Bovey Tracey. In-form Bovey won again on Saturday, by 139 runs at Sidmouth and Paignton comfortably accounted for Cornwood by six wickets at Queens Park.

Abhay Negi claimed 3-26 as the visitors were bowled out for 141. Paignton home within 25 overs, Charlie Ward hitting 56 of the winning score.

This leaves Bovey (177) with a four-point lead over Paignton (173), but if Plymouth finish second in the A Division, they can be promoted, unlike Bridestowe and Torquay and Kingskerswell, as they fulfil the criteria required by ECB rules and regulations. In this scenario, the losers at Bovey on Saturday will go down with Plympton.