HATHERLEIGH batted all the way down the order from one to eight to beat Bovey Tracey by three wickets in a high-scoring encounter between two A Division promotion contenders.

Bovey Tracey set an imposing 260 for eight the traditional way with two sizeable contributions – half-centuries from Jake Pascoe and Seb Ansley – plus several bits and pieces.

Hatherleigh’s batters did not muster 50 or more between them. But all those 20s, 30s and 40s added up to a win with 11 balls to go.

Skipper Rob Cockwill (40), who opening up was one of the higher scores, said: “Normally, to chase down a score of 260 you need someone to get 70-plus.

“We managed to do it in a different way, with everyone chipping in, which should give us a lot of confidence going forward.

“Not our best performance of the season by any means – we made a lot of mistakes in the field – but to chase down 260 was really pleasing and showed great character from the lads.”

Opener Pascoe top scored with 60 and took Bovey up to 119-3, with some help from Slade van Staden (32) and Albie Bradley.

Bradley, still only 14, went on to make 39 before handing the baton to Ansley. He got on with it to reach 50 off 40 balls – and got out three balls later. The bits and pieces included Will Christophers (16), Sam Harvey (11) and Harry Mount (13).

Ryan Quick (25) and Cockwill got the Hatherleigh chase started, which had reached 96 for two when the captain got out.

Shrey Ghosh (36), Ryan Davies (41) and Jasper Presswell (26) between them got the running total up to 191 for five with 12 overs to go.

Although former captain Mark Lake (5) missed out, a stand of 52 between Emmerson Wood (25) and Paul Heard (35no) as good as won the match.

Hatherleigh remain second in the table, 16 points behind leaders Tavistock.

Meanwhile, Bridestowe & Belstone made it two wins on the trot on the way up the standings when they defeated Torquay & Kingskerswell by four wickets.

Thirty-three points from the last 40 on offer have hoisted B&B out of the bottom two and given them a 16-point safety margin.

Seamers Tallan Burns and Craig Penberthy did most of the damage as B&B skittled T&K for a just 84.

Burns had three T&K wickets for 18 runs when the ball was new. Penberthy (4-20) got into the middle and lower-order batters.

Nathan Roux (16) and Tom Lillywhite (11) made T&K’s only double-digit scores.

Bridestowe & Belstone’s run hunt was not without challenges, principally that posed by T&K spinners Harry Baxendale (4-28) Chris Kelmere (2-35) and skipper Harry Passenger, whose 10 overs only cost 17 runs.

Kian Burns (28no), in at 25 for three after two wickets in two balls for Baxendale, batted through to win the game.

Tallan Burns, the B&B captain, said: “I was really pleased for the lads making it two out of two, especially Kian and Craig, who both made massive contributions to the game.

“It was a really impressive bowling performance against a top batting line-up. All bowlers took full advantage of the sideways movement and found a way to take wickets regularly.

“The Torquay & Kingskerswell spinners made the chase difficult, but Kian played a chance-less knock to get us over the line for a really important win.”