In a game sponsored by local osteopath Chris Dyer (a useful connection for the club’s elderly players!) Tipton St John batted first against a youthful Ottery St Mary team but failed to set them a challenging total.

Good bowling by George Southall-Brown and Tom Hinch kept openers Phil Tolley and Keith Collins quiet. Collins was soon caught by Will Harrison off the former bowler but Tolley and Dave Alford looked to build an innings until Tolley was well caught by Southall-Brown off Jack Dallyn for 10.

Only Alford with 24 and Dave Thayre with 13 got into double figures as the young bowlers whittled out Tipton’s fragile batting line up for 81, having reached 71-5.

Alford did reach the milestone of 2000 runs for the club being just the 14th player to do so.

Even Chris Tubbs guesting for the visitors got two wickets, bowling both David’s Birch and O’Higgins.

Tipton were briefly in the game having reduced Ottery to 21-3 with David Birch claiming two wickets for just nine runs off six overs.

However, fine batting by Tom Hinch (41) and young Tom Peters undefeated on 12 took the visitors to victory with plenty of overs to spare.