Kilmington not only dealt a severe blow to the Whimple D Division East title hopes, but also did their own chances of bagging a top two berth a power of good as they claimed a six wicket win over the one time runaway leaders of the section.

Whimple batted first on a wicket that was still damp owing to the excessive rain that had fallen throughout the day before! With half their side back in the pavilion with just 60 on the board an early finish looked on the cards. However, David Culshaw served up a superb innings of 91 to help his team to a close of 212-9. The wicket taking was shared around with Ben Noble’s 2-27 the pick of the figures.

Kilmington’s reply was hit by the loss of three early wickets, but from 20-3 there were to be no further alarms as Matt Rockett (77) and Tom Gooding 83 not out, they eased their way to a fabulous six wicket win. The pair put on 187 for the fourth wicket with Rockett out with the team just six from victory and Brett Garner and Gooding made sure there victory was sealed without further los of wickets.

Kilmington skipper Dave Cook says: “It was a terrific game to win. They (Whimple) did ever so well to get 212, helped, of course by that s[splendid Culshaw knock. I had said at tea that I felt the total was one the top six were more than capable of getting without too much alarm and so, at 20-3 my words looked pretty shallow! However, Matt and Tom batted superbly and took us to the brink of victory with that wonderful fourth wicket partnership.”

The win moves Kilmington to within seven points of Whimple who are in turn now 10 points shy of leaders Cullompton.

Clearly the next fortnight is going to be pivotal in terms of the dictating who bags the one guaranteed promotion berth and the promotion play-off place. This Saturday (August 1) Kilmington meet Cullompton and the week after Whimple meet Cullompton. Cook says: “It’s a biog fortnight coming up. It’s in our hands in terms of knowing what we have to do. Saturday’s game will go I long way to defining our season I feel.”

On Saturday Whimple can ill afford a fourth defeat in five when host Halberton and Sampford Peverell on Saturday.