BOVEY Tracey’s Premier Division aspirations suffered a setback when they went down ty two wickets to lowly Torquay & Kingskerswell.

South African Nathan Roux clattered an unbeaten century (102) to steer Torquay & Kingskerswell to victory with more than eight overs to spare.

It was an important win for Torquay & Kingskerswell – it put 29 points between them and the A Division bottom two – and a disappointment for Bovey. They now have a 26-point gap to wipe out between themselves and Thorverton in the second promotion slot.

Opener Jake Pascoe’s studious 84 at the top of the order was Bovey’s only highlight performance from the top five

A stand of 73 between Pascoe and Sam Harvey (32) moved the score along to 143 for five. Skipper Seb Ansley (25) pushed on towards the final total of 196 all out.

Spin was king for T&K with four wickets for Harry Baxendale (4-24) and three for Bobby Western (3-46).

Torquay & Kingskerswell appeared to be cruising at 110 for one. Then they lost surviving opener Josh Thompson (41) followed by Chris Kelmere, Western then Baxendale as they slowed to 128 for five.

Spinner Will Christophers (5-26) was the troublemaker for T&K.

Roux and Tom Lillywhite batted T&K back into the game, prior to Ansley (3-60) putting it back in the balance with a couple of scalps.

Torquay & Kerswell had time on their side and went softly, softly the rest of the way. Roux won it with a boundary off Rob Pryke that brought up his ton as well.

Losing skipper Ansley had a clear idea where it went wrong, and what could have changed the game.

Apart from Jake Pascoe batting really well up top, we lost too many cheap wickets,” said Ansley.

“Even down to the sixth-wicket partnership we had plenty of time left and still didn't bat our overs.

“With the ball we let Torquay & Kingskerswell get away way too fast by not bowling to plans up top.

“Our spinners bowled a good spell in the middle and Will Christophers took wickets to put us right back in the game.

“Roux was the real difference once Thompson was gone and only gave one half-chance that could've been the game.”

ANDY Donovan starred with bat and ball for Clyst St George as Bovey Tracey 2nd XI fell to a five-wicket defeat.

Inder Singh (4-38) did a grand job tying up Bovey’s middle order, which left Donovan (3-32) to tidy-up stragglers.

Bovey were all out for 185 with an over to go. Callum Stanley (30) top scored. Three batters – Ryan Jones, Ed Foreman and Dan Green got out in the 20s. Losing three wickets getting from 108 for two to 114 for five did them no favours.

Bertie Creer (36) was Clyst’s anchorman and running mate with Donovan in a match-turning stand of 85 for the fourth wicket.

Donovan went on to reach 97 not out and won the game in style by launching Bovey’s Archie Christophers for six in the 40th over.

Skipper Green had no difficulty pinpointing what went wrong.

“A similar issue to previous weeks: not quite enough runs,” said Green.

Defeat leaves Bovey just three points clear of the bottom two.

Said Green: “It is a week we will forget and move on from as we know what we need to do if we want to stay in this division.”