Devon D division

Plymouth Civil Service v

Whitchurch Wayfarers

A heavy defeat away to Plymouth Civil Service has sent Wayfarers first XI back into the relegation zone.

With only one match to play and 11 points away from safety something like a miracle is needed if they are going to avoid the drop.

Earlier in the day it had looked so different.

Batting first Civils' Gaylard played with fluency punishing anything short racing to 26 in short order. Having only returned six dot balls he was then becalmed for 16 before Josh Vernon clean bowled him. Darren Sambells then took out the top order in an excellent spell that saw him return figures of 4-40.

With the game reduced to 42 overs Civil were 82-5 at the half way stage and in some trouble.

Man of the match Dave Bayliss played the pivotal innings. Coming in at number seven he and Elsey put on an invaluable 50 runs. Kerswill (2-21) eventually snared them but not before they had made careful use of 17 overs.

In the final flurry Dent (24) and Winsor (22) pushed the score up to just short of 200. Once again extras on 37 contributed the second highest score. This total proved far too many. On a damp track and with bowlers who knew how to exploit the conditions 193 proved to be far too many.

Despite having one of their strongest batting line ups of the season Whitchurch collapsed with only Billy Barriball showing any resistance.

After the early loss of Smith he dominated a partnership with Hall taking the score to 47 before being caught for 27 off the bowling of Winsor.

At 47-2 the visitors would have felt reasonably comfortable but within six overs they lost five more wickets and had slumped to 55-7; Winsor (5-9) and Bayliss (4-18) proving unplayable. Josh Vernon and Darren Sambells provided a brief flurry at the end but by then the game had gone.