SOUTH Devon defeated Plymouth 2nd XI by six wickets to condemn the city side to relegation and improve their own chances of dodging the drop.
Plymouth were bowled out for 165, which proved a stroll in the park for the Newton Abbot side.
With two games to go – and 40 points to play for – Plymouth would need 41 points to dodge the drop.
Although South Devon are not safe yet, they are 31 points ahead of second-bottom Yelverton, which should be enough to keep them up.
Plymouth got to 101 for two without real problems – Ed Lockett (37), James Webb (22) and Jake Smith (20) largely responsible – then lost three wickets without adding to the total.
Charlie Watson (21) and Aziz Rahmanzai (16) did what they could to improve the situation.
There was another slump at the end as the final four wickets went for one run each.
Jonny Martin led the South Devon bowling effort with three for 32. Mali Marshall and Josh Hudson took two wickets each.
South Devon started hesitantly – openers Mark Andrews and Morgan Hargreaves both missed out – but Dan Duke (31) then Dillip Salinda made inroads into the deficit.
The game was won and lost in the time it took Salinda (48) and Marshall (58no) to put on 103 for the fourth wicket, which cut the target to single figures.
Elsewhere, Yelverton’s relegation fears in the C Division West worsened following a five-wicket defeat at Ashburton.
After this loss, they sit ninth on 137 points with Plymouth 2nd XI behind them on 126 and Sandford 2nd XI some distance ahead in eighth, with 166 to their name.
Yelverton’s were bowled out for 92 in the 27th over, which Ashburton polished off in one over more.
With two games to go – and 40 points to play for – Yelverton are 30 points adrift at the bottom of the table. Anything other than a win at Kingsbridge this Saturday will mean it’s curtains for the Langton Park side.
Dave Ackford (47no) and Rob Grove (21) had the only worthwhile scores for Yelverton. No one else made more than six!
Opener Ackford batted from start to finish while wickets tumbled at the opposite end.
The bowling damage was done to the top of the order by Charlie Towers (2-26). Matt Churchill (2-6) got into the middle order and Matt Coon (3-21) had a go at what was left.
Steve Edmonds, who opened for Ashburton, got the chase going with a steady 26.
Toby Julian (2-29) slowed things briefly, but George Yabsley’s 29 not out concluded proceedings.
