ASHBURTON captain Lloyd White was able to spot some positive signs in the 97-run defeat by Braunton in the bottom-of-the-table showdown at Kelsey.

Having been bowled out for 34 seven days earlier by Plymstock, and lost by nine wickets, things could only get better.

Despite another defeat, this one showed encouraging signs for White, whose team has been in the bottom two since week three of the season.

“A much-improved performance from the lads,” said White. “We were pretty unlucky to lose Nick Martin to injury early in the game, which certainly didn't help.

“Matt Churchill then showed tremendous character, batting superbly through injury. If we keep playing with that attitude and commitment, the results will come.”

Theo Valeri lit up the Braunton innings with 132 in a team total of 261 for six. Valeri, in at ten for one in the fourth over, put on 79 with surviving opener Sam Bithell (30) and 99 more with Charlie Tucker (42).

Matt Churchill (2-36) was the only Ashburton bowler to take more than two wickets, or operate below for runs an over for that matter. Chris McKee and Charlie Towers cost between four and five each.

Ashburton never looked like repeating their disappearing act of seven days earlier – all out for 34 against Plympton – but at 78 for three approaching halfway were not likely winners either.

Runs for opener Steve Edmonds (31) and Churchill (53) will have encouraged Ashburton captain Lloyd White for the survival fight ahead.

Three wickets for Jon Baglow (3-17) and two each for Valeri, Andy Norman and Luan Matthews de Menezes added up to Ashes’ demise for 164.

Elsewhere, Ollie Hannam belted his first league century in three calendar years to put Bideford on course for a 94-run win over Bovey Tracey 2nd XI.

Hannam slammed 105 towards Bideford’s 50-over total of 265 for eight. Along the way he shared stands of 94 with Fawaaz Gallie (36) and 51 with brother Alex Hannam (42).

Ollie Hannam’s last ton was 117 not out against Ipplepen in July 2023 – the fourth and final one he made that summer.

Only Kiwi spinner Sam Veal (2-32), Harry Pitman (2-44) and Freddie Harvey (0-25) kept the runs down consistently for Bovey when they bowled.

Bovey needed a better start than being 97 for five to have a respectable chance of chasing down the runs. Only Ryan Jones (25) made much headway as Alex Hannam (2-25) and Elliot Curry (2-19) did most of the damage.

Brad Causey (36), Harvey and stand-in captain Pete Bradley (27no) resisted long enough to earn batting bonus points in a total of 171 all out.

Gallie (3-40) and skipper Jack Ford worked their way through the bottom half of the order.

Pete Bradley, who covered for unavailable Bovey captain Dan Green, said: “Bideford were better than us. They showed our young team how to bat in club cricket.

“They kept it simple. Keep out the good ones, hit the bad ones, batted in partnerships and set a platform and go big in the last 10 overs.

“Our four young seamers – average age of 19 – showed they are improving and learning. And an inexperienced batting line up, showed a bit of fight and didn’t roll over.”