Axminster slipped to a second successive defeat when they went down by six wickets to Ipplepen at Cloakham Lawns.

Batting first the home side laboured in difficult batting conditions to a close of 166-7 led there by Gary Larcombe’s battling 50 and an unbeaten 26 from Brad Cross.

Ipplepen eased over the finishing line with just four wickets down, two of them falling to Larcombe (2-13).

Skipper Tristan Wakeley said: “We certainly got the rough end of the deal in terms of the wicket. In the conditions it was a crucial toss to lose. In the post tea session you could see the wicket become far more placid and nothing like what had been happening pre-tea was there to trouble the batsmen. That said we definetly did not get any breaks when they were batting. Matt Pyle bowled a superb opening spell and beat the bat so many times. He was very unfortunate not to have got the early wickets which may have enabled us to defend the total we posted.”

Next up for Tristan Wakeley and his side is a trip to Chagford on Saturday. The home side sit third in the C Division table just seven points behind Axminster and both teams sport identical won five from seven records so far this season.

Wakeley says: “There’s plenty of the season left, but no escaping that the Chagford game is a real opportunity for us to put daylight between us and them. It’s one of my favourite grounds in the County there and I am personally looking forward to playing there again.”

Axminster II also went down, beaten by Feniton II after being bowled out for 130 despite another half century from Sean Perry. The Acland Park side claimed a 75 run win having earlier posted a score of 205-8.