IPPLEPEN defeated Abbotskerswell by 30 runs in the basement battle at Moor Lane to shoot clear of the relegation danger zone.

In an incredibly tight B Division, six points separate ‘Pens in fifth from ninth-placed Bovey Tracey 2nd XI, while Abbots are bringing up the rear, a further 10 behind.

Marcus Gadie (45) and Jono Colegate (22) were Ipplepen’s primary run getters in a total of 145 all out. They put on 67 for the second wicket.

Noah Rider, in at 94 for three, made 20 while adding what proved to be a priceless 31 runs with three different partners.

Young spinner Alfie Harrison (4-23) continued to impress with the ball for Abbots. Jay Hussain and Charlie Smout-Cooper claimed two wickets each.

Abbotskerswell, dipped to 52 for five on the chase, recovered to reach 101 for six, then collapsed in a heap to 115 all out.

Ed Smout-Cooper (22) was the lone top five batter to last long. Harrison (27) and Tom Heath (22) regrouped in the middle. No one else made more than a dozen.

George Tapley (3-37) and Ash Harvey (2-30) posed the initial problems with the ball that Abbots could not get over. Joe Parker (2-1) swept up at the end.

Elsewhere, Abraham Kopparambil hit an unbeaten 61 to steer current club Ivybridge to an emphatic seven-wicket win over his former Bovey Tracey 2nd XI team-mates.

Bovey, whose season so far has been a series of ups and downs, were bowled out for 144 in just 28 overs. The innings meandered from 93-4 to 141-6 before the last four wickets fell for just three runs.

Dan Green, the Bovey skipper, said a familiar failing was the reason for a defeat that dropped the team into the bottom two.

“We were not good enough with the bat again and need to start scoring more than 200 runs,” said Green.