STOKE Gabriel defeated Bideford by two wickets to trade places with them at the top of the B Division table.

Bideford made 217 for nine – Jack Ford top scoring on 48 – which Stoke overhauled with more than three overs to go.

Stoke now hold a 10-point lead over Bideford with 100 left to play for.

Opener Fawaaz Gallie – 38 off 97 balls – was the fulcrum the Bideford innings hinged on. Alex Hannam (22) and Julian Hayter (29) chipped in.

Stoke bowlers Tyler Hunter and Adriaan Maxwell took three wickets each.

Stoke opener Justin Pringle had a different approach to fellow South African Gallie: he butchered the bowling for 141 at run-a-ball rate. He was the last man out with the scores level.

Abhishek Anand (46) played a role in an 82-run stand with Pringle.

Josh King’s latest five-wicket haul (5-39) for Bideford was his fourth this season and took him to 40 victims.

Jack Tolley, the winning Stoke Gabriel captain, said: “We felt that we did well to contain Bideford to under 220, We took early wickets then, after a good fourth-wicket partnership, regular wickets to stop them gaining too much momentum to take into the second half.

“Justin and Abhi took us deep. King bowled well all afternoon, but Justin just kept going.”

Elsewhere in the B Division, Seaton enjoyed a commanding 98-run victory over Bovey Tracey 2nd XI, Plymstock overcame Braunton in a low-scoring affair, Clyst St. George couldn’t chase down Plympton’s total of 251 and Barton won by eight wickets against Ashburton.

Next up, leaders Stoke Gabriel will visit sixth-placed Plymstock whilst Barton face Seaton, Clyst St. George take on Ashburton in the battle at the bottom, Plympton host Bovey 2nd XI and Bideford welcome Braunton to town.