BOVEY Tracey 1st XI captain Seb Ansley had a look at the A Division table after his side’s 77-run defeat by Torquay & Kingskerswell … and did not like what he saw.

Set 258 to win in 50 overs, Bovey were bowled out for 180 with more than 13 overs unused.

Bovey are now hovering above the drop spots heading into the final third of the season.

Said Ansley: “We could've been up to fourth with a win but we’re back in the trouble now, which makes Kilmington a massive game this Saturday.”

Ed Smout-Cooper, whose batting has come to life following his close-season switch from Abbotskerswell, played the anchorman role with 102 towards T&K’s all-out total of 257.

Opener Smout-Cooper was part of stands that took the running total to 217 for seven. Best of the stands were those of 58 with Harry Passenger (26) and 46 with Chris Kelmere (23).

Hem Chetri’s four-wicket return for Bovey included Passenger and Kelmere. Smout-Cooper finally perished at the spinning fingers of Ollie Clifford-Bourne (2-45). Gethin Williams two spells yielded three for 33.

Bovey lost opener Jake Pascoe in their first over, Reuben Stanley soon after and professional Chetri getting as far as 35.

Harry Mount dug in for 77 and with back-up from Albie Bradley (22) then Seb Ansley (32), Bovey got to 158 for five. A hundred to win and 18 overs to get them in was steep but not impossible as long as Mount stuck around.

Once wickets started to tumble it all went wrong in a hurry for Bovey. Five fell for 22 runs scored as 158 for five became 180 all out.

Chris Kelmere (3-23) and Ritesh Dabhade (3-36) dealt with the house-to-house clearance at the end.

Ansley didn’t have much trouble pinpointing where it went wrong.

“Harry Mount batted really well, taking the attack to the bowlers early doors and building his innings through the middle, but didn't have much support from the rest of us,” said Ansley.

“I think we lost the game through not batting our overs – still had 13 to go – which has been a recurring theme this year.”

Meanwhile, Bovey Tracey 2nd XI skipper Dan Green attributed his side’s 23-run defeat by Clyst St George to the input of one player: Andy Donovan.

Three wickets each for Dan Kendall and Bertie Creer may have sealed Bovey’s fate, but they were up against it because of Donovan’s rapid hundred.

“Donovan was the difference,” said Green. “Our lads bowled well but he didn’t give us anything.”

This result dragged Bovey back into relegation orbit, not that they were too far away to start with.

Donovan cracked 100 off 80 balls – 13 fours, five sixes – as Clyst got to 258 all out in the 48th of their 50 overs. His stand with skipper Par Singh (74) of 106 rescued the team from 88 for four.

Green (2-22), and Harry Pitman (2-45) were Bovey’s best bowlers.

When Bovey were 155 for two on the chase – Brad Causey (42) and Sam Veal (37) plus heaps of extras boosting the total – Clyst were on the back foot.

Losing Causey then Veal four runs apart, to Charlie Taylor and Kendall respectively, slowed the chase until Joe Forey (34) got it going again.

Forey’s demise at 196-6 was the beginning of the end for Bovey, who lost four for 13 and were eventually stopped at 235.