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Exmouth won a thrilling McKinley White cup semi-final against Exeter, beating the A Division title hopefuls by seven runs.

Batting first Exmouth were in big trouble, two down for seven on the board after eight deliveries before Richard Arnold and Andy Buzza picked things up with a 77-run partnership in ten overs before Buzza departed for 45.

Barney Huxtable was in and out with just one to his name before Arnold was joined by Max Curtis and the pair thumped 71 off the next five overs.

Arnold eventually went for 59 with nine fours in his 49-ball stay at the wicket. Curtis only faced a dozen deliveries for his 22 and it was left to the Greenway brothers, Lawrence and George, to see the side to a close of 153-6.

Exeter made a whirlwind start reaching 50 off just 23 deliveries! Skipper Richard Baggs was made to suffer most, his two overs went for 35 runs!

Crucially however, he claimed the wicket of the hard hitting opener aided by an Andy Buzza catch. Exeter continued to pace the reply well and, at 97-3 with 13 overs gone they looked set for a successful chase.

However, the first ball of the 14th over saw Buzza again hold a catch, this time off Lawrence Greenway.

When George Greenway bagged the ninth Exeter wicket with the score on 127 with ten balls remaining it was Exmouth in the box seat.

Then the last pair put bat to ball but it proved a target just beyond them as they closed on 146-9 to leave Exmouth the seven run winners.