BOVEY Tracey 2nd XI dropped back into the B Division bottom two as a consequence of their seven-wicket reversal at the hands of Stoke Gabriel.

Adriaan Maxwell (5-19) and Mike Smith (2-13) soon had Bovey reeling at 10 for three – and 32 for five with Sam Russell just out was not much of an improvement.

Sam Veal with a guarded 24 off 58 balls, and Joe Forey with a brisker 23, edged Bovey towards an all-out tally of 82.

Stoke lost opener Tyler Hunter to ball one of their innings. From then on it was routine stuff.

By the time Justin Pringle was dismissed for 44, the target was six to win. Mike Meech (18no) and Abhishek Anand (9no) finished the job.

Meanwhile, Bovey Tracey 1st XI put some distance between themselves and the A Division drop spots with a four-wicket win over Kilmington.

Seb Ansley’s side went into round 12 of 18 one place and nine points above the bottom two. That’s now widened to three places and 26 points thanks to a combination of this win and helpful results elsewhere.

After opener Matt Pile had been and gone for 39 of the first 60 on the board, half-centuries by Joel Seward and Connor Trott – both made 53 – helped Kilmington reach 219 for eight.

Bovey got the brake on when it mattered after a drinks break thanks to spinners Ollie Clifford-Bourne (3-39) and Hem Chetri (0-30 off 10) pinning the batters down.

Opener Jake Pascoe led Bovey’s pursuit with a steady 86 that got the response up to 185 for three. Reuben Stanley (32 and Chetri (64) pitched in along the way.

By the time Chetri was fourth out on 204, to Seward (2-22) the result was never in doubt.

For Ansley it was a much-needed result, although some captains are never satisfied.

“It was great to watch Jake play another great innings and then Hem also looked to enjoy himself,” said Ansley.

“Just sad that we couldn't get all the way home two or three down and lost a couple of cheap wickets with 20 or so to go.”

Wickets in hand mean bonus points, which Bovey dropped one of!

Elsewhere, Ashburton were brought back to reality after the highlight of beating B Div leaders Bideford when Plympton turned them over by 10 wickets.

An unbeaten century from Manny Motswiri paved the way for a crushing victory.

Although Plympton went into the game as favourites, despite their recent lack for winning form, Ashburton had the potential to surprise them.

Back-to-back wins over Bovey Tracey then leaders Bideford showed bottom side Ashburton have not run-up the white flag on their survival hopes just yet.

Opener Steve Edmonds top scored for Ashburton with 44 in a 50-over total of 173 for nine. By the time he was fifth out on 120 he had put on 48 with Matt Churchill (8) and 59 with George Yabsley (30).

Chris Yeo (17) and Chris McKee (15) tipped and ran a few for Ashburton at the end.

Plympton’s Sam Ford showed why the Devon Lions wanted to have a look at him in the on-going three-day game against Cornwall with a four-for 29 haul Ollie Goulder took two for 21.

Motswiri struck an undefeated 113 – 17 fours, three sixes, 103 balls – as Plympton cruised over the line. Finn Torley jogged along at the other end for 57 not out.

Six dropped catches did Ashburton no favours.