Speaking after his side’s two wicket win over Seaton in their first B Division home game of the campaign, Kilmington skipper Brett Garner was clearly relieved to have guided his side to victory.

He said: "Saturday's game was a hard one where we bowled and fielded superbly, but they [Seaton] are a good team and Joe Berry really did bat exceptionally well.

"He hit the ball very cleanly to get them to their total and I don't think there was anything else we could have done to restrict them to fewer than the 147 they did get."

Staying with that splendid Berry knock, Garner added: "To be fair he [Berry] offered just the once chance - a tough one too - when Oli Reed put him down at long-on where Oli also suffered a nasty cut to his finger which will require a few weeks recovery so we will be without him for a little while.

"That's a blow to us as he is a key player in this team."

On his side's batting effort, Garner said: "One again I felt our batting let us down - we collectively made some poor shot selections which is frustrating and, the higher up the cricketing ladder you climb the less chance there is of 'getting away' with such poor shot selection."

On the positive side of things, Garner highlighted the contribution from Joe Elsworth, of whom he said: "The big plus in the game was the way young Joe [Elsworth] stepped up to see us home in what was a tight finish. For him to emerge unbeaten is a real plus and hopefully he can take great confidence from that going into future games."

Looking ahead to Saturday's game at home to Bovey Tracey, Garner says: "We look light on numbers again as work commitments and injuries bite into availability.

"It's a reoccurring theme and one that is so frustrating for me to be beating the same drum!

"However, it does mean the team pulling together again to try and get a result against a Bovey side that, although they sit bottom of the early season table, they are a Premier 2nd XI and so will no doubt have a few very useful players in their ranks."

He rounded things off saying: "Playing a top flight 2nd XI is what this all-through league offers and it is a great opportunity for our players to test themselves and, while I am sure Bovey will come to us with a mix of youth and experience, they will be very keen to get 'off the mark'. However, I am keen that we make our place something of a 'fortress' and so we will be playing good hard and honest cricket to ensure the Memorial Ground is indeed a place visiting teams don't fancy coming too."