BOVEY Tracey can breathe easy after beating Bradninch by six wickets to secure their Premier Division status.

Bovey have been fourth in the table for a while but, mathematically, they could have been overhauled by second-bottom Exeter until Saturday.

Victory puts Bovey 45 points ahead of Exeter with 40 to play for, leaving them free to concentrate on finishing fourth – or even catching Plymouth for third spot.

Bradninch made 164-6 in a game reduced to 40 overs a side – Haydn Murray making a top score of 53.

Murray was the middle-order anchorman, batting through from 41-2 to 122-5 when he was run out.

Joe Webb moved the score along in the dying stages with a brisk 40 not out off 28 balls.

Pick of the bowling for Bovey with 2-37 was the ever eager Ryan Bougourd.

Bovey endured a hesitant start that saw openers Chris Clayton and Chris Bradley fall cheaply to Ross Acton (3-40).

Andy Kingdon (21) was just getting going when he fell lbw, also to Acton, leaving Bovey 54-3.

Faisal Iqbal (50) and Andy Fairbairn (39) put Bovey back on track with a stand of 80 for the fourth wicket.

By the time Iqbal perished going for one big hit too many against Gary Chappell, it was all over bar the shouting.

Ben Ayres (18 not out) was still there at the end when Bovey passed the post with 13 balls to go.