North Devon's Glen Querl at the Maer in Exmouth on Saturday. Photo by Simon Horn. Ref ndsp 1121-21-12SH To order your copy of this photograph visit www.exmouthjournal.co.uk and click on myphotos24

Reigning champions North Devon are one off the bottom of the Premier Division after losing their third match in a row at the weekend.

Their 83-run defeat at Exmouth was that side’s first league win of the season so far and was constructed around a century from David Lye.

Lye helped himself to 107 not out off 98 balls with seven for and three sixes and featured in a significant stand of 135 for the third wicket with his captain.

Getting Lye out did little to stem the run rate as Andy Buzza (37) and Trevor Anning (37) put on 70 in the last seven overs.

Glenn Querl’s three for 36 was as good as it got with the ball for North Devon, who were all out for 198 with more than four overs to bowl.

Too many of North Devon’s early order batsmen got in and got out without making the big score needed to anchor the innings. Ollie Hunt had 26, Querl 28 and Rob Gear 15.

A stand of 66 for the eighth wicket between former captain Rob Ayre (53) and Jason Hayes (35) came too late to make a difference.

The Anning brothers – Trevor (2-28) and Phil (2-20) knocked over the stragglers. Pride of place in the bowling figures went to Max Curtis with three for 35 including Ayre to wrap it up.

As a former North Devon player, Curtis had a point to prove and made it.

North Devon will be hoping for an improvement when they face fellow strugglers Heathcoat at Instow this Saturday.

BRAUNTON will be looking to maintain their winning run in the A Division when they host lowly Shobrooke Park on Satruday.

For the Kelsey men are in good shape after winning at Brixham to go third in the table

Matt Renwick was the top scorer with 42 as Brixham were bowled out for 182 with more than three overs to go.

Braunton knocked off the target with three wickets in hand and were into the second of their extra overs when they hit the winning runs.

Brixham went in fits and starts when they batted. Renwick and Craig Eaves (25) got them up to 124 for three – then the next three wickets fell for just one run added.

Tim Robinson (25) and Mark Gilmour got the score going a second time.

Pick of the Braunton bowlers by a distance with five for 29 was Andy Paddison

Jas Kalsi smacked 69 to get Braunton iup and running and when he left at 127 they were well on their way.

Lee Upham (4-24) made it interesting for a while and at 167 for seven Brixham had a chance. Darren Hawkings (18no) and Braunton captain Jon Baglow (11no) settled it.

HATHERLEIGH made it three wins on the bounce at the top of the B Division when they crushed Axminster by 10 wickets to go 11 points clear of Chudleigh in second place.

Veteran Nick Rogers took five for 32 as Axminster were bowled out for 124.

After Tristan Wakeley (48) and Rob Pryor (23) departed, Axminster collapsed in a hurry. Their last five wickets went for just six runs as Richard Lake (3-28) and Sean Leatheran (2-23) joined in the wicket spree.

Gareth Tidball (57no) and Rob Chapman (42no) polished off the target. Tidball hit 48 of his 57 in boundaries.

Barnstaple & Pilton won for the first time this season when they overcame Chudleigh by two wickets.

Lance Ames made 42 and Dan LeMarquand 37 as Chudleigh posted 181 for seven against B&P.

George McEndoo (3-26) and Jack Popham (2-34) bowled tidily for B&P.

Early wickets for Martin and Ben Holmes then had B&P reeling at 32 for four in reply. Fifty-one for five wasn’t much of an improvement!

Skipper Steve Moore (45no) and Tom Popham (58) then put in 64 for the sixth wicket to get B&P back in the game.

Hatherleigh visit Barton and Barnstaple are at home to Tavistock this Saturday.

BIDEFORD suffered their first setback of the season in the C Division when Ashburton thrashed them by 167 runs.

The North Devon side got off to a cracking start by winning their first two matches and were expected to be Ashes’ toughest test yet.

It didn’t work out that way though as Bideford were knocked off the top by Ashburton, who have eased into second place themselves.

Chris Pascoe featured in stands of 85 with Ashley Harvey (27) and 50 with Tom Durman (22) as Ashes got to 220 for seven. Thirty-six extras helped.

There were two wickets each for spinners Chris Luxton and James Ford.

Bideford’s batters ran into Ashes’ Tom Durman at his finest. Durman took seven for 18 and there were three wickets for Kris Connabeer as the visitors were dismissed for 54.

Bideford had been 11 for four and after a partial recovery was snuffed out they lost three wickets on 36 then collapsed in a heap.

Clyst St George visit Westward Ho! on Saturday.

OTHER RESULT

Honiton 128-7 (J Davey 4-32, R Bowden 2-21), Filleigh 73 (J Davey 15; A Holmes 3-17, K Kelly 3-21, P Tansley 2-22). Honiton (17pts) bt Filleigh (3) by 55 runs.