CHUDLEIGH lost ground in the B Division promotion scramble when rivals Plymstock defeated them by three wickets, writes Conrad Sutcliffe.

With three games to go in the league season, Chudleigh need to find 23 points to get ahead of Plymstock, who are the latest tenants of second spot.

Tom O’Connor bagged four wickets – two in the middle, two late in the game – as Plymstock dismissed Chudleigh for 130.

Chudleigh skipper Adam Kent had a rare failure opening up – out first ball to Hadleigh Scott-Kirk – and runs were in short supply after that.

Will Heather’s 35 was Chudleigh’s top score on a day when five others got into double figures but no further than 17.

Scott-Kirk (2-18), Billy Gibson (2-30) and Matt Whalley (2-19) took wickets at regular intervals for Plymstock.

Chudleigh did not have it all their own way on the chase – they were 39 for five after a battering from Will Heather (3-35) and Harrison May (2-22) – and another wicket lost then could have been terminal.

The game was won by an adult knock of 61 not out from 15-year-old Whalley, who saw off everything for 111 balls until the game was won.