BRIDESTOWE & Belstone 1st XI ended-up tying with Kilmington in a game they appeared to have done enough to win.

Home side Kilmington were all out for 103 after being put in on a pitch that kept batsmen busy from start to finish.

“It was a wet, very seamer friendly wicket to start with due to how wet it was, but towards the backend of their innings it was starting to turn sideways,” said Bridestowe & Belstone’s five-wicket seam bowler Craig Penberthy.

Bridestrowe & Belstone got to 95 for six in reply after a batting battle of their own, which looked like a winning position.

“Some poor shot choices, along with some good bowling, put us under pressure towards the end,” said Penberthy who was the not-outer in a matching score of 103 all out.

“I think a tie sort of summed the whole game up and how it flowed both ways throughout,” said Penberthy.

“Most importantly, it has secured our status for another season in A Division.”

While Penberthy (5-26) was taking Kilmington wickets at one end, Simon Gillespie was tying them in knots at the other.

“To bowl seven maidens and make the most of the pitch with the new ball, shows how good Simon still is,” said Penberthy. “He was excellent.”

Joe Elsworth with 23 was Kilmington’s top scorer. Best of the rest was Joel Seward with 16 from 55 balls.

Opener Tom Pengelly (28) and Leon Horn (35) negotiated the pitfalls scattered around by Luke Meek (2-27), Sam Farrow and Rob Crabb to get B&B to 70 for four.

“Leon and Tom showed that if you were positive and strong in defence you could score on the pitch that was getting slightly better,” said Penberthy.

Crabb (4-23) and Farrow (4-24) did the damage at the end that sent the game to a tie.

Meanwhile, Bridestowe & Belstone 2nd XI fell to a 27-run defeat at the hands of Whitchurch Wayfarers 1st XI, who move out of the E West bottom two as a result.

Lewdown were 10 points ahead of Whitchurch going into round 17 of 18, but now the positions are completely reversed.

The Wayfarers are not out of danger yet though. They face champs-elect Babbacombe this Saturday at the same time as Lewdown entertain Bridestowe & Belstone, who are comfortable in mid-table.

On what is likely to be a nail-gnawing last day, Stokeinteignhead, Whitchurch and Lewdown are all jostling to go down with bottom side Paignton, whose appointment with promoted Kenn is unlikely to provide the miracle result they need to cheat the relegation reaper.

Openers Richard Potts (68) and Ben Hodge (73) gave Whitchurch a 121-run start against B&B. Nigel Barriball was 42 not out in a total of 225 for seven.

Chris Lavis (3-29) and Richard Drake (2-35) were easily B&B’s most effective bowlers.

Phil Woods, B&B’s in-form opener, ground out 73 that helped the pursuers reach 132 for two. Toby Gostling (42) had a hand in a stand of 65.

The baton was dropped by the middle order as the response slowed to 144 for five. Sreenath Sundan (18) and A R Kumar (16) put some effort in, but too late.

What Hodge (3-39) and Marc Kerswill (2-46) had started was wrapped up by Nathan Prout (2-30_ and Darren Sambells (2-43) as B&B faded to 198 all out.