TAVISTOCK remain in Premier Division relegation orbit following a 132-run drubbing in the basement tussle with Plymouth.

Victory took the city side past Hatherleigh, losers at Paignton, who have replaced them in the second relegation place.

Tavistock, the next team up from Plymouth, have the consolation of a 22-point gap between them and the drop spots.

A run-in that includes former leaders Exeter, current pacesetters Paignton and second-placed Sandford suggest few easy points on the cards.

Plymouth’s batting, anchored up top by a 53-run opening stand between Andy Birkett (21) and Jon Kerridge (27), fired into life to reach 274 for nine in 50 overs.

Surya Suresh and Teddy Haffenden put on 86 for the fourth wicket, which was topped up by Dan Goodey smashing nine sixes on the way to 71 off 32 balls in the dash for runs at the end.

West Indian under-19 newcomer Joshua Dorne went for 19 to Goodey in one over at the height of the carnage.

James McGahey (2-40) and Tom Clarke (2-23) were the most effective of Tavistock’s 10-over bowlers.

Dorne balanced the books in part with 41 in a stand of 83 with Charlie Barriball (50) that got Tavistock’s chase going after Kerridge ran out dangerman Elliott Hamilton in single figures.

Barriball’s demise, spun out by Suresh (4-28) was the beginning of the end for Tavistock as they collapsed from 112 for three to 130 for seven and on to 143 all out. If Suresh didn’t get them, Kerridge (3-15) did.

Sean Cleave, the Tavistock captain, said: “Plymouth batted better than us, bowled better than us and fielded better than us and deserved the win.

“Not too many positives to take from the game but we are still in a good position with four to play.”

Meanwhile, Hatherleigh are back in the Tolchards DCL Premier Division again after suffering a seven-wicket defeat at Paignton.

Hatherleigh were unable to string together any innings-building partnerships at Queen’s Park, where the best they could come up with was 29 for the fourth wicket between Shrey Ghosh (14) and Jasper Presswell (42) in their total of 126 all out.

Once Charlie Ward (2-23) rubbed the shine off the ball, spinners Rory Medlock (2-41) and Connor Ashworth (4-17) twirled through the Hatherleigh batting.

Paignton lost wickets at 44, 66 and 121 during the 18 overs needed to wipe out the target.

Harry Ward (34no) and Ollie Woodcock (41) were the main run getters one Brenton Pedley came and went for 21.

Elsewhere, North Devon made light work of imposing a nine-wicket defeat on Bridestowe & Belstone in a one-sided affair.

The A Division leaders skittled B&B for 121, which was knocked off inside 15 overs to complete a win that put them 16 points clear of Torquay & Kingskerswell at the top of the table.

Other than Shaq Glasgow (34) and Kian Burns (13) there was little to comment on when B&B batted. Thirty-one extras inflated the total.

Josh Atkinson (3-37) took three of the first four wickets North Devon took. Jay Rothery’s seamers accounted for two more. Definate Mawadzi (2-19) and Tom Popham (2-8) wrapped-up the innings.

North Devon’s only casualty on the chase was opener Tom Ansell, who was in and out to Tallan Burns for a two-ball duck.

Rothery slammed 10 fours and five sixes in a quickfire 80 not out as he and skipper Jack Moore (42no) took North Devon another win closer to returning Premier cricket to the Sandhills.