CHARLIE Barriball and Rhys Davies shared a 95-run stand that took A Division leaders Tavistock to the brink of a five-wicket win over Plympton.

Plympton’s total of 180 all out – no one made more than Elliot Hamilton (44) – was knocked off with more than 15 overs to go.

It was another step closer to promotion for Tavistock, who are 29 points clear of third-placed Hatherleigh in the race for a top two spot.

Spin proved Plympton’s unravelling with three wickets each for Tom Clarke (3-24) and Rhys Davies (3-5).

“Tom Clarke once again made a huge impact with the ball, and it was great to see Rhys knocking on the door with three wickets late on,” said Tavistock captain Sean Cleave.

Tavistock did not have it all their own way on the chase – Motswiri (5-51) made sure of that – and a 47 for four there was a job to do. Barriball (60) and Davies (45no) did most of it.

“Motswiri bowled an absolutely outstanding spell, comfortably the best we’ve faced this season, so credit to the lads for sticking at it,” said Cleave.

“Charlie Barriball did what he does best, shifting momentum with a typically fluent knock. Rhys, again, showed his class, steadying things when we needed it most and carrying his bat through to the end.”

This is a ninth win of the campaign for the A Division high-flyers and Tavistock’s gap at the summit now stands at 24 points. Thorverton are their closest challengers with Hatherleigh a further five points behind in third place.

Talking of Hatherleigh and their very own Paul Heard turned in a career-best bowling performance of six for 27 to send Cullompton crashing to a 125-run defeat.

Cully were 80 for two, chasing 268 to win, when Heard added Jason Parr to a clutch bag that already contained Dan King (25) and Deshan Dias (23).

Heard went on to claim two more wickets for as Cully collapsed to 97 for eight – and he hadn’t quite finished!

Akshay Bharadwaj clubbed three sixes in a defiant 34 while wickets fell at the other end. He was the last man out in a Cully total of 142.

Heard finished with six of the best by removing Dan Reynaldo, bettering his five-for-15 haul against Exeter in 2021.

“Paul Heard was exceptional with the ball, considering he was playing with a bad back,” said Hatherleigh skipper Rob Cockwill.

“Sean Letheren was very disciplined early on, building pressure.”

Hatherleigh’s total of 267 for seven was set-up by a second-wicket stand of 85 between skipper Rob Cockwill (55) and Shrey Ghosh (69).

Ryan Davies (35) and newcomer Emmerson Wood (44) took the tally beyond 200.

Parr (3-44) and Bharadwaj (2-40) were the most consistent of the Cullompton bowlers.

“It was a tough pitch to bat on, so to get 267 was well above par,” said Cockwill.

Hatherleigh remain third in the A Division table with promotion the prize if they can get ahead of Thorverton, who are well within reach.

Next up for Hatherleigh is a home clash against fifth-placed Kilmington whilst Thorverton visit fourth-placed Bovey Tracey and Tavistock host seventh-placed Torquay & Kingskerswell.