Tipton St John returned to winning ways after a midweek setback against Woodbury to beat Exeter Erratics and All Saints last weekend to post eight victories in nine matches, writes David Birch.

Erratics recovered from losing their first wicket to Mark Channon’s first ball of the game to post 194-8, which was dominated by number 3 batsman Cox’s 88 and supported by Weiler’s 38 not out. Skipper Jim Bugler and Phil Wright joined Channon with two wickets apiece, with the other falling to Robin Pickering.

Phil Tolley seemed to be guiding Tipton home comfortably when he fell for 86 with the score on 157-4. Tolley had put Tipton in a strong position, sharing a 77 run partnership for the fourth wicket with Chris Tubbs, but it was now left to contributions from Bugler, Pickering and Geoff Woodcock to reach their target with two overs and two wickets left.

Tolley played himself into form on Sunday against his old All Saints team mates with a superb 141 not out.

He and Dave Dawson began at five an over but Tipton stalled with the loss of Dawson for 15 on 46 and the advent of Trott and Boyland into the attack, bringing All Saints a measure of control which suggested a modest total. As Tipton’s middle order crumbled (with Steve Shaw’s 10000th run for Tipton the only noteworthy feature), Tolley went on the attack, supported by skipper David Birch in a ninth wicket stand of 48 in six overs to take the visitors to 206.

After a tight start from Shaw and John Rodgers, the All Saints openers began to cut loose but finally lost the aggressive Bray, superbly caught in the deep by Woodcock off Rodgers, who immediately followed up by bowling Trott first ball, amply making amends for his own first baller in Tipton’s innings.

Channon and Birch applied the same pressure to the middle order as All Saints had earlier, and the batsmen’s anxiety at the slow scoring rate resulted in a run out courtesy of Matt Williamson’s direct hit from extra cover. Birch followed up with the wicket of skipper Wallace, neatly caught by Jem Gillham at mid off and, despite stubborn resistance from Seward and Nunns, All Saints were always behind the run rate and finished on 167-4, 40 runs short of their target.