All three Exmouth senior XIs won on match day eight of the Tolchards Devon Cricket League. The 1st XI moved up to third in the Premier Division table after they put ailing Bradninch to the sword, beating the Mid Devon men by 110 runs at a sun-kissed Maer ground. The 2nd XI became only the second team to beat Upottery 1st XI at their Glebe Park home in a D Division East game and the third XI chalked up a big win over Axminster II in an H Division East game.

Exmouth 1st XI

Exmouth powered to a 110-run win over Bradninch at the Maer ground in a game that saw a splendid century from Dan Pyle.

On a day when the sun shone throughout, Exmouth, led by Bob Dawson following the midweek decision by Maer men skipper Richard Baggs to drop himself to the 2nd XI, batted first and were led to an imposing 305-6 with they centre piece being a 96-ball innings from Dan Pyle that saw him score 17 fours and slam two sixes in a contribution of 129.

The Maer men were given a good start with Sandy Allen and Callum French seeing them to 65 when French fell for 15. Just four runs were added when Allen joined French back in the pavilion. Pyle came in at three and was joined by Miles Lenygon and they saw their side, first past 100 and then beyond 200 before, with the total on 202, Lenygon was trapped leg before by Bradninch skipper - and former Exmouth skipper – Gary Chappell for 45.

That brought Andrew Buzza to the wicket and he and Pyle took the total to 259 before the superb innings of Pyle was finally ended – also trapped leg before by the former Maer men’s skipper. Buzza was the fifth man down, but not before he had chipped in with a 27-ball knock of 21 and David Lye was also not one to hand around as he hit a 19-ball 27 before he was the sixth and final home wicket to fall as Exmouth closed on 305-6 after their 50 overs with Bob Dawson (6) and Peter Turnbull (1) the not out batsman. For Bradninch, Gary Chappell had the best figures with his return being 2-42 from 10 overs and the other four wickets were shared between four different bowlers.

When Bradninch replied both openers fell to leg before decisions, first in favour of Peter Turnbull and then David Lye to leave the Mid Devon men 53-2 and that was soon 69-3 with Andrew Buzza holding a catch off David Lye. Just 10 runs were added when Lye struck again, this time aided by a Miles Lenygon catch, but Bradninch skipper Gary Chappell was offering resistance and he, together with teenager Kian Burns, added 55 for the fifth wicket before Callum French knocked over the Burns’ stumps to leave the visitors five down with 134 runs on the board. A Peter Turnbull catch, off the bowling of Andrew Buzza, left Bradninch 157-6 and it was soon 187-7 thanks to a fourth wicket for Lye. Bob Dawson finally ended the Chappell innings – the former Exmouth skipper trapped leg before for 60 and the final two wickets fell in quick succession as Bib Dawson won a second leg before decision and Alvin Pollard hit the stumps to leave Bradninch all out for 195 in 41.2 overs.

David Lye took the bowling honours with his return being 4-38 from 10 overs and skipper-for-the-day Bob Dawson finished with 2-5 from three overs. The other four visiting wickets were shared, one each, by Alvin Pollard, Callum French, Andrew Buzza and Peter Turnbull.

Exmouth 2nds

Exmouth 2nds were 17 run winners on their visit to Upottery and the win takes the Maer men to within one place and one point of D Division East table-topping Heathcoat.

James Horler (73), Lawrence Greenway (66) and George Greenway (46) were the principle run scorers as Exmouth, batting first at Glebe Park, posted an imposing total of 242-4.

Upottery, who had lost just one game in two seasons since taking up residency at Glebe Park, were then bowled out for 225 with Lawrence Greenway claiming 4-75 and Alex Craib took 3-23.

Exmouth 3rds

Exmouth III made it a clean sweet of victories for the Maer men on match day eight of the Tolchards Devon Cricket League season as they defeated Axminster II by 168 runs.

Batting first, Exmouth scored 291-7 with Toby Pugsley top scoring with a superb 87. Julian Page hit an unbeaten 69 and Rory Craib was not out 24 when the Maer men’s innings came to an end.

Ethan Brenton then took 3-16 and Jake Pond had figures of 2-12 as Axminster were bowled out for 113.