DARTINGTON & Totnes are staring relegation in the face now after a 142-run hammering at the hands of Ashburton, writes Conrad Sutcliffe.

Ashburton have been struggling for wins this season – just two prior to this one – and to have any chance of dodging a second successive relegation D&T have to win against teams in the bottom half of the table.

Dartington & Totnes are now 32 points short of safety and two more defeats will probably consign them to D West cricket next season.

Five of Ashurton’s top six made significant contributions to their total of 217 for nine. Openers Dan Coles (27) and Ash Berry (35) put on 82; Lloyd White (45) and Jon Malan (25) added 64 for the fourth wicket and Greg Robinson chipped in 25 more. Matt Churchill (4) was the odd man out.

Joe Martin (3.11) and Lewis Starkey (3.86) were D&T’s most economical bowlers. Dinesh Raheja (3-52) and Rizwan Ahmed (2-31) took the bulk of the wickets.

Raheja (24) and Gavin Colegate (16) had the only scores of note as D&T were skittled-out for 75. They were 42 for one before Raheja got out and the collapse started in earnest!

Ashburton opening bowler Chris had remarkable figures of 9-5-8-0, but it was Malan and Matt Coon who bowled-out D&T. Malan had four for 19 and Coon six for nine.