Pullman brothers bowl Upottery to victory over North Devon

Upottery were five wicket winners over North Devon to move 26 points clear of the three drop spots in D Division East.

What’s more, the Glebe Park men are now just nine points off a top three berth after this latest victory.

North Devon won the toss, batted first and the Pullman brothers did the bulk of the damage with Ryan Pullman (4-41) and Andrew (2-30) taking wickets as the visitors closed on 211-9.

Post tea, James Mitcham (40) and Jack Larcombe (44) got the run chase up and running before Ryan Pullman (35no) and skipper Mark Joyce (35no) saw the side home from 147-5 to win with five wickets and four overs to spare.

A delighted skipper Mark Joyce said: “We were certainly back to our all-round best, though we did give them 20 more than I’d have liked with wides being the problem! That said, I was very confident at tea that we’d see the chase through on another ‘road’ prepared by Nigel [grounds man Nigel Wyatt] with a glass-like outfield, and so it proved.”

On Saturday, Upottery face a ‘huge’ game when they travel to meet a Barnstaple and Pilton side that sit one place and nine points above them. Joyce says: “We are now heading into the business end of the season with the games running down and, in our current position; a trip to the side just above us is one we need to be winning.”

The Upottery selection options are further strengthened with the return of Rob Tasker.