NEW boys Filleigh proved they belong at the top of the Francis Clark Devon League F Division by crushing second-placed Kenn.

In their debut season in the league, Filleigh went 28 points clear with a 10-wicket win that was wrapped up long before tea.

Ryan Bowden took 4-10 in eight overs as Kenn were blasted out for just 81, with extras top scoring on 26.

Openers Jas Singh (56no) and Rob Collier (14no) knocked off the runs in no time to leave Filleigh looking certainties for promotion.

Braunton were equally strong in the A Division earlier this season, but their narrow defeat at Barton on Saturday saw them replaced at the top by Paignton.

Despite being dismissed for 164, with Ed Yeo (35) and John Higgs (32no) top scoring, Braunton looked on course for a sixth win of the season as Barton were reduced to 104-8.

But Steve Lewis (49) and Andy McVeigh (22no) put on 24 for the ninth wicket before McVeigh teamed up with last man James Hands to make the 37 they needed to win — posting Barton's highest last-wicket partnership for 10 years in the process.

Andy Paddison was the pick of the Braunton bowlers with 4-27, while skipper Jon Baglow took 3-44.

Barnstaple and Pilton's eighth-wicket pair of Steve Wheatley (44no) and Ross Hunter (10no) put on 22 to give their side a fourth win of the season in B Division. Axminster were put in a spin by Henry McEndoo (4-52) and Steve Moore (3-36) as they reached 175-8, dominated by Jack Willow (55) and David Murnane's (34) third-wicket partnership of 82.

After opener Mike Paine had got Barum off to a good start with 39, Moore returned with the bat to make 33 and help Wheatley set up the victory.

Having expected a season of struggle, Barnstaple's much-changed side are comfortably placed in mid-table and will be looking to make further inroads into the top half by beating second-placed Plymstock on Saturday.

Hatherleigh smashed 318-5 against winless Kilmington but were unable to force a victory as the D Division strugglers blocked them out to snatch a draw with two wickets remaining.

Simon Gillespie thumped 90 and Terry Reynolds 89, while there were also useful contributions from Gareth Tidball (41), Sean Forrester (33) and Andy Bennett (29) in Hatherleigh's imposing total.

Gareth Tidball (3-38), Gillespie (2-31) and Richard Tidball (2-20) nibbled away at the Kilmington batting but with Isuru Wickramaratne making an unbeaten 35 the visitors held on to take six points from a draw that earned Hatherleigh 15.

Hatherleigh's 2nd XI are still battling to escape the lower reaches of the Premier Division after a high-scoring losing draw at Budleigh Salterton.

They could have been daunted by the hosts' 373-6 — a record for the division — but they replied with 281-4 to comfortably avoid defeat.

Lloyd Murrin hit 108, while Nathan Hardy (78), James Burton (68) and James Hope (56) all made half- centuries for Budleigh. Ross Cherrington was the pick of the Hatherleigh bowlers on a difficult afternoon, taking 2-95.

The visitors' reply was dominated by a big stand between John Rogers (119no) and Ryan Davies (81).

North Devon picked up their second win of the season, Bob Heaman (92no) and Scott Amos (41no) guiding them to a seven-wicket win at struggling Exmouth.

Young Max Curtis took 4-54 as the home side were bowled out for 215. That target posed little trouble to North Devon.

Bideford suffered a second successive defeat in the Second XI B Division, going down by four wickets to Tavistock at Westward Ho!

Despite four wickets for Jon Weeks (4-74), Tavistock eased past Bideford's 175 all out which featured a half-century from Pete Stevens (54).

Braunton 2nds are up to second place in C Division, two points behind leaders Thorverton, after thrashing bottom side Kingsbridge by 113 runs.

Ross Burbidge top scored with 76 in Braunton's 282-9, which also featured 41 from Ollie Seymour and 31 by Andy Parker.

Parker and Seymour then impressed with the ball, taking 3-20 and 3-41 respectively, as Kingsbridge were rolled out for 169. Chris Brigden chipped in with 3-33.

The new North Devon 3rds side continue to find life hard in E Division East.

They struggled to 122-9 against Cullompton, who stumbled to a four-wicket win.