YELVERTON Seconds' visit to divisional leaders Hatherleigh proved to be match of the day in the Devon League B division on Saturday.

Unavailabilities and call-ups to the 1st XI meant Yelverton only travelled with 10 players to face Hatherleigh at Bridge Road.

Yelverton skipper Jason Degg won the toss and invited Hatherleigh to bat on a good looking surface. Degg's decision immediately paid dividends as opener Bryant was out in the third over of the innings, bowled by T Roe.

Roe, bowling in tandem with G Heath, kept the run rate down with Heath accounting for Gillespie with the score on 30.

Hatherleigh skipper Penberthy and remaining opener Jelley rebuilt the innings with a partnership of 90 before Jelley was dismissed by G Brain. Penberthy, with help from the middle order, took the score to 216.

Yelverton's response started positively, but wickets tumbled at regular intervals and at 46-3 Hatherleigh were no doubt expecting a comfortable victory.

The arrival of Terry Leonard at the wicket to partner opener Geoff Brain turned the game, as they forged a potentially match-winning partnership of 121 to take the score to 167 and within sight of the Hatherleigh total.

The loss of Leonard, however, slowed the scoring rate and despite the efforts of Brain and Holmes, Yelverton needed 13 to win off the last over, with Roe and Treweeks at the wickets.

Five runs off the first four balls of the over took the equation down to eight off the last two deliveries, then a scampered two runs left Roe with the task of scoring six off the last ball.

Roe swung at the last ball of the innings but it fell agonisingly short of the boundary and the innings closed on 231-6.

Skipper Degg was full of praise for his ten-man side and their efforts against the leaders.