BOVEY Tracey 1st XI were presented with a golden opportunity to pick up a rare win in the Tolchards Devon Cricket League Premier Division but to no avail.

The gap between themselves in ninth and Paignton in eighth has only creased following the 125-run drubbing administered to them by the latter.

It doesn’t get any easier for them as they will host third-placed Cornwood in the next fixture, who also suffered a three-figure run defeat last weekend.

Dropping down to the A Division and after beating one Mid-Devon team in the form of Abbotskerswell last weekend (by six wickets), Hatherleigh 1st XI face a trip to Torquay and Kingskerswell this time around, who they were defeated by on the opening weekend of the season.

Also in action at that level are the aforementioned Abbots at Kilmington, Bridestowe at North Devon CC and lastly, Tavistock 1st XI versus Plymouth.

B Division sees the Mid-Devon Advertiser and South Hams Gazette cross paths with the clash of Stoke Gabriel 1st XI and Bovey Tracey 2nd XI. They both come into this one on a high after beating Ipplepen and Chudleigh respectively with the league standings favouring Stoke.

Talking of that duo and they will both be on the road, Ipplepen facing Teignmouth & Shaldon in a huge clash just about the relegation zone, whilst rock-bottom Chudleigh will hope to pull off a surprise against promotion-hopefuls Cullompton.

South Devon Cricket Club 1st XI are edging closer and closer to the bottom two in C Division West with just the one win in their last five. As a result, league leaders Paignton 2nd XI are the last team they would want to face next, a team who are yet to be beaten.

Kingsbridge 1st XI will be hoping to get back to winning ways against a strong Cornwood 2nd XI, Ivybridge 1st XI will look to continue piling pressure on Paignton at the summit and it is still all to play for, for Ashburton and Yelverton Bohemians in this tight division.

D Division West may be even harder to call at both ends, the three points separating teams from second to fifth saying it all.

Ipplepen 2nd XI are that second-placed side and they can put some big points on the board when the bottom side Barton come to town.

Meanwhile, it is seventh vs eighth and sixth vs ninth, with plenty of chances for movement in the standings.

Barton (71), Abbotskerswell (72), Dartington & Totnes (73) is how it reads from the bottom up and so if those latter two can overcome Ivybridge and Hatherleigh respectively, there could be as many as five teams embroiled in a relegation scrap.

Other key fixtures coming up tomorrow include: the battle of the Stokes, Stokeinteignhead vs Stoke Gabriel in F West, Bridestowe 2nd XI (third) vs Chagford 1st XI (first) in E West and top vs bottom in F West also, Bovey 3rds away at Kingsbridge 2nds.