Ottery St Mary continue to look good for an instant return to the B Division.

Their fifth game of the C Division East campaign saw them thrash Budleigh Salterton by a margin of nine wickets.

Budleigh, who won the toss and opted to bat, were left ruing that decision as they were, on what looked another good Ottery battings trip, bundled out for just 133 in 39.2 overs.

Will Oxland top scored for the visitors, but his 42 run contribution was more than double the ‘best of the rest’ – the 16 from Joe Marley. Adam Jones (15) and Sean Mills (13) were the only other Budleigh batsmen to reach double figures.

Ottery skipper Will Harrison was the only one of his six bowlers used not to claim a wicket. Ollie West claimed 3-14 in 6.2 overs and there was a tidy return of 3-17 from eight overs by Jody Clements. Joe Birch (2-18), Rob Johns (1-24) and Sam Brook (1-37) were the other Ottery wicket takers.

In the run chase, Ottery lose Ollie West, who was seeking a third successive league century, when he was caught and bowled having scored a run-a-ball 37with seven boundaries.

However, that was as good as it got for the Budleigh bowlers as Alex Clements, who scored a 76-ball unbeaten 50 with 10 fours, and Dan Flower, who was not out 19, saw the Otters to another handsome win and they share second place with Kilmington behind all-conquering Sidmouth IIIs at the top of the table.

On Saturday the Otters make the short trip across to Acland Park where they will take on a Feniton side that will start the day sixth in the C Division East table, three places and 25 points below the Otters.