BOVEY Tracey 1st XI defeated Bridestowe & Belstone by seven wickets to retain their spot in the A Division top four.

Only three Bridestowe & Belstone batters made it into double figures in a total of 156 all out – and one of those was Craig Penberthy, who made 24 down the order at number nine.

Without Kian Burns’ rapid 71 off 54 balls – nine fours, three sixes – B&B would not have recovered from 84 for seven.

Bovey’s seam bowling proved B&B’s undoing with three wickets each for Rob Pryke (3-33) and Seb Ansley (3-47), plus two with the new ball for Ben Kay (2-17).

Bovey opener Jake Pascoe did not last long – in and out for two – but Harry Mount (26) and Slade van Staden (57) made a 72-run dent in the deficit.

Albie Bradley (33no) and Tom Andrew (12no) had victory in the bag for Bovey with more than 24 overs to spare.

Ansley, the Bovey Tracey skipper, said he was happy to lose the toss and bowl first.

“On a (hot) day where I don't think anyone would've bowled first by choice, I was fortunate not to make the decision,” said Ansley.

“We did not bowl much loose stuff in the opening spell and were tricky to get away.

“It would've been nice to keep them to around 100, but Kian batted positively to get them to something that could've been a tricky chase.

“Slade broke the back of it and when he went, we looked pretty comfortable.”

After this result, Bovey sit fourth in the A Division on 145 points whilst Bridestowe are three places and 30 points worse off.

Next up for the former is a visit to eighth-placed Torquay & Kingskerswell.