BOTH Whitchurch Wayfarer teams entered the weekend in sore need of points.

After last week’s stirring win over Dartington, Whitchurch 1st XI were hoping to repeat their efforts against mid-table Plympton.

Potts (13) and Hall (12) provided a solid opening partnership of 30. The next 10 overs saw Whitchurch collapse to 67-6.

Roberts (15) and Mackenzie (36) started the fightback dealing cautiously with the uneven bounce and despatching the bad balls. Their 45-run partnership gave the hope of a defendable total.

A further solid 65 runs from Kerswill (37) and Prout (25) lifted Whitchurch to 201; five batting points and a defendable total. Pitman (3-24) was the pick of several young bowlers.

Plympton’s innings also started with a solid 41. There, the similarities end. Abilash (64), while somewhat fortunate, anchored the reply.

He and Agnew (42) put on 58 for the third wicket taking Plympton to 148. The Whitchurch bowlers plugged away but were unable to make a breakthrough, Plympton milking the ones and twos that chipped away at the target.

Roberts grabbing a smart catch at deep mid-on was a highlight as Whitchurch toiled away. Vernon (1-35) was the pick of the bowlers who all bowled well.

201 was not a big enough total, Plympton cruising to a 4-wicket win leaving Whitchurch needing to win their final two matches and results to go their way.

Dartington & Totnes are bringing up the rear on 143 points with Whitchurch in ninth (159pts), whilst Teignmouth & Shaldon (eighth on 172) and Paignton (seventh on 179) find themselves currently clear of the drop-zone.

Bridestowe (sixth) at home and Cornwood (fourth) away are the final two opportunities for Whitchurch to make a great escape.

Whitchurch 2nd XI meanwhile hosted Plymouth Civil Service & Roborough in what turned into a close and engrossing game.

PCSR were put into bat and dominated the first innings. Only McKenzie-Smith (1-37) went at less than five-an-over as the visitors rattled along. White (16) played the anchor role as Turiq (64) and Ahmed (36) chose to deal only in boundaries.

Russell (3-53) picked off those two just when it appeared that PCSR would post an unachievable score. Even so a quick fire 48 by Khan and multiple dropped catches left Whitchurch in sore need of tea, facing the prospect of chasing down 259.

What was needed was a good start. They didn’t get one. Ahmed (2-36) and White (3-26) picked off the top order leaving Whitchurch in deep trouble on 22-3.

In comes Steve Payne and turns the game on its head. Dominating a 78-run partnership with Gibbs (five) he flayed the PCSR bowling to all parts of the ground. His 89-run assault finally ended when well caught in the deep by Iyer.

Webber (44) and McKenzie-Smith (36) took up the chase adding a further 88 runs. 50 runs were needed off the final six overs when Phil White picked off two wickets.

Now 38 off 4 and Whitchurch, through Webber and Russell (12), hit 17 runs, leaving 21 from the final three. 13 off the last over proved too much leaving Whitchurch five runs short and apparently doomed to relegation in the G Division West, with eighth-placed Yelverton 30 runs clear of them.