Upottery were dealt a painful (and soggy) blow in their bid for a top two finish in the D Division East when their Glebe Park meeting with promotion rivals Barnstaple and Pilton was prematurely ended one ball into the 21st over of the game as rain arrived to wash out any chance of getting any more play in.

Upottery skipper Mark Joyce lost the toss and was invited to bat first and it was he who was quickly removed, caught by his opposite e number and out for a first ball duck!

Conditions were not god for batting and it is to the credit of Matthew Button-Stephens (22 from 63 balls) and James Mitchum (11 from 54) that no further wickets were lost before the game was brought to an early end.

The abandonment does more for the Barum cause than the Upottery one.

With six games to go there are five clubs within 11 points of each other and D Division East looks set to be the closest of al the Tolchards Drinks divisions in terms of the season’s conclusion.

All is certainly not lost for Upottery who sit second, 11 points shy of table-topping Barum, for in their final six games, Upottery only meet one of their rivals.

This Saturday (July 29) they travel to Axminster after which they host Kentisbeare, visit Honiton, entertain Woodbury and the end the season at Tiverton on the first Saturday in September

D Division East (top five)

Barnstaple 12 9 1 0 2 192

Upottery 12 8 2 0 2 181

Honiton 12 7 5 0 0 171

Chardstock 12 8 3 0 1 183

Kentisbeare 12 8 4 0 0 181