MATT NOBES saved his best for last with a superb century in North Devon's final match of the Francis Clark Devon League season.

A groin injury was thought to have already ended the Australian batsman's stay. But he returned for Saturday's finale against Bradninch at Instow and cracked his first ton in the premier division.

Opening the innings, Nobes passed 100 in 99 balls and had made 121, hitting seven fours and two sixes, when he was caught by Haydn Murray off Gary Chappell.

At that stage, North Devon were 176 for two, Nobes and Dan Bowser (29) having put on 136 in reply to the visitors' 243 for nine.

But the next four wickets fell for just six runs and they were left hanging on for a draw at 214 for eight.

Chappell (84) and Tim Piper (57), the openers, had put on 147 before Bradninch were undone by spin bowlers Matt Dart and Rob Gear.

Dart, the slow left-armer, took four for 70, while Gear's off-spin brought five for 81.

North Devon took ten points from the draw to finish 27 behind champions Sidmouth. They had needed just one point against Plympton to secure a hat-trick of premier division titles. It came when Daniel Robotham, of Plympton, was second out, bowled by Josh Bess.

Sidmouth went on to win the match by four wickets, earning 18 points.

Braunton's faint hopes of avoiding finishing bottom of the premier division were extinguished in a 127-run defeat to Bovey Tracey.

The left-arm medium pace of Alec Hodges (3-30) and Jon Baglow (3-49) troubled Bovey, who posted 199 for nine in 50 overs.

That proved to be more than enough, however, as opener James Windsor watched them slip to 39 for four.

Windsor was eventually run out for 34, while 14-year-old Sam Wyatt-Haines tore through the middle order, taking four for 21.

With the last six wickets falling for 13 runs, Braunton were all out for 72.