HATHERLEIGH 2nd XI’s batting performed a disappearing act any magician would have been proud off on the way to a 188-run defeat at Chudleigh.

Other than opener Greg Solkin sticking around long enough to make 55, only two other batters reached double figures in a total of 104 all out.

Five Hatherleigh batsmen failed to score a run between them as Darshan Shivakumar (3-17), Mark Halse (3-12) and Ben Cowling (2-25) ran through the order.

Opener Jasper Bubb’s boundary-filled century – 21 fours, 112 balls, 116 runs – was the highlight for Chudleigh in a 45-over total of 292 for seven.

Mark Solway (49) shared a century stand with Bubb at the top of the innings. Bubb added another 120 for the second wicket with dad Jon Bubb (50).

Shifting the dad and his lad made little difference to the run rate as Raj Neelam whacked off 23 balls at the end.

Liam Pyle’s three-for-32 haul included Jasper Bubb and Neelam.

Defeat leaves Hatherleigh one off the bottom of the table with a trip to fellow strugglers Paignton 2nd XI coming up.

HATHERLEIGH 1st XI were on the receiving end of a Sam Read century as Exeter raced to a six-wicket Premier Division win.

Hatherleigh’s Shrey Ghosh was the first centurion in the game with 106 in a little more than three hours out in the middle.

Ghosh went out one ball into the match – Ryan Quick was dismissed first ball – and batted through to the 49th over.

Gareth Tidball and skipper Rob Cockwill with a brace of 23 were Ghosh’s main supporters.

Read (3-45) finally pried out Ghosh on 225 for nine. Hathereigh were all out for 226 two balls later.

Zach Vukusic, the Somerset Academy scholar, picked up two for 12 in a rare Exeter outing.

Read strode out with Exeter on 27 for two in the sixth over and promptly hit the second ball down to him for four.

Five more sixes – two in the same over from Will Edwards – and nine four later, Read was on 103 not out and Exeter had won it with more than 17 overs to go.

Alex Tipper opened with 43 and there were contributions from Cameron Fraser (35) and Vukusic (24no) as the target diminished.

Rob Fishleigh (1-42) was the lone Hatherleigh bowler to dodge a lashing from Read.

Cockwill said there was little to be gained from over-analysing the result.

“We were Just beaten by the better side, to be honest,” said Cockwill.

“Shrey batted extremely well, giving us half a chance but we knew we were always up against it.

“Rob Fishleigh really stood out with the ball. With a bit more luck he may have picked up a few more wickets, and we may have been able to compete with a strong Exeter side.

“All in all, it was a good competitive game of cricket.”

TAVISTOCK skipper Sean Cleave won’t be losing too much sleep over his side’s six-wicket defeat away to Premier leaders Exmouth.

Opener James White top scored with a modest 23 in Tavistock’s all-out total of 139.

Louis Morrison (45) and Cameron Kidd (46) laid into the Tavistock bowling with gusto as the Seasiders galloped to victory in just 18 overs.

Victory over Cleave’s Premier Division new boys keeps Exmouth on top of the table, where they have a five-point lead over second-placed Exeter.

Cleave was realistic when he reflected on the day’s events on the Maer.

It is not a result we’ll get hung up on for too long,” said Cleave.

“We didn’t make the most of good batting conditions, so naturally there’s disappointment with only taking four points from the game.

“That said, as a newly promoted side in this division, these results can happen. Exmouth are a very strong team and there’s plenty we can learn from this match.

“No time to dwell on it. We’ll regroup and look forward to bouncing back this Saturday against Plymouth.”

Tavistock’s top five batters all made it into double figures, but no one went on to make the sizeable score needed to hang a defendable total on. Pete Turnbull (3-35) posed most of the early problems.

Slipping from 83 for three to 99 for seven as George Greenway (2-24) and Kidd (3-21) got to work was Tavvy’s undoing.

James Horler, the captain, was Exmouth’s only casualty as the chase accelerated to 61 for one under Morrison’s guidance.

Kidd took Exmouth closer, which left Noah Musikanth (13no) and Fin Marks (12no) to join-up the dots.

Two wickets each for Ahmad Hassan and Matt Petherbridge were as it good as it got for Tavistock’s bowlers.

BRIDESTOWE & Belstone paid a high price for a dropped catch that had a big impact on their A Division game away to Torquay & Kingskerswell.

The Seasiders lost openers Joe Farndale and Josh Thompson getting to 25 for two – and could have been three down had Ben Pomare not been dropped on six.

Pomare, T&K’s Kiwi import, went on the make 106 as the home side compiled 233 for nine in their 50 overs.

Bridestowe & Belstone were all out for 121, which consigned them to a 112-run defeat.

Pomare was involved in stands that added 162. Jimmy Clifford (26) and Ed Smout-Cooper (43) were his primary running mates.

Devon seamer Craig Penberthy (4-52), wicketless in his first spell, swept away Pomare on the way to second-stint figures of four for 40. Shaq Glasgow (2-38) offered few run-scoring opportunities.

Although a patient Glasgow batted time for 30, and Ryan Dennis made a cautious 14 opening up, a succession of B&B batters got in, got settled and got out without getting past 20.

Skipper Tallan Burns (20no) was the last man standing after Harry Baxendale (2-21), Harry Passenger (2-29) and Will Begy (3-27) whittled away at the batting.