Defending champions Sidmouth beat Braunton by a hefty margin of 132 runs to go joint top with North Devon in the Premier Division.

Sidmouth had to work hard for a total of 216 for seven in the first innings as Braunton tied them down for 40 of the 50 overs.

Sidmouth had their tactics right from the start as openers Josh Bess (41) and Anthony Griffiths (51) saw off the new ball threat in a stand of 95.

There was a mini stumble as Bess was run out, Griffiths caught behind and Sam Richardson poached on the boundary going for a big hit.

Neil Hancock with 45 off 35 balls, and Hilton Cartwright (28), then got a move on in a bright and breezy knock of 60 for the fourth wicket.

Cartwright and Nick Gingell, 27 off 17 balls, helped add 94 in the last ten overs in their own cameo stand of 38.

Braunton were undone by Sidmouth skipper Will Murray, whose career-best Premier haul of seven for 16 reduced them from 67 for one to 78 for eight and on to 84 all out.

For Murray – previous best seven for 30 against Sandford in 2008 – beating Braunton is the hoped for kick-start to the season.

"After winning the league for the last two seasons we haven't quite had the start we hoped for," said Murray. "Hopefully, this win will change things. "We batted well to get a decent total – with wickets in hand we could have a go in the last ten overs – and those quick runs were useful.

"Braunton looked decent while the first three were in, but then they seemed to capitulate. One or two of them didn't seem to know whether to block it or play their shots and we capitalised on that indecisiveness to bowl them out."

Plympton skipper Arwyn Jones was fuming after his side lost by seven runs in a low-scoring affair against North Devon.

With Lewis Gregory taking four for 41, and Jones and Sarmad Anwar three wickets each, Plympton seemed to have done the hard bit by bowling North Devon out for 145.

Plympton's batting – Gregory excepted with 78 not out – failed to deliver the goods in a big way. Only two batsmen reached double figures in a total of 138 all out.

"With the batting we have supposedly got in our side, we should be winning comfortably when we bowl sides out for 145," Jones said. "Lewis was crying out for someone to stick about with him and it only needed a couple of contributions and we were there.

"Instead we are 93 for six against bowling that was nothing special, and it is down to the tail-enders to dig us out. It should never have got to that in the first place."

Matt Westaway (five for 40) was North Devon's star with the ball.

Budleigh Salterton and Plymouth fought out a draw at Ottermouth that did neither of them any favours.

With Steve Luffman making a half century, and James Toms not far off one, Plymouth posted a modest 178 for eight in 50 overs.

Budleigh were 157 for eight when their overs ran out – opener Bob Dawson batting through to make 81 not out.

The outcome was that Plymouth move four points off the bottom and Budleigh are there instead.

Paignton captain Mike Pedley was furious at the way his side snatched a seven-run defeat from the jaws of victory against Bradninch.

Bradninch were bowled out for 195 in the last of their 50 overs – skipper Ross Acton making a top score of 75. Pedley followed his six-wicket haul against Budleigh with five for 42.

Paignton, led by Brad Rasool with 72, were 135 for three on the chase and in the driving seat.

A collapse to 156 for seven put the game back in the balance and Rasool was ninth man out in a total of 187 – eight runs short of victory.

"We gave too many of our wickets away and lost a game we should have won," Pedley said. "Brad and Mark Gilmour put us into a superb position at 135 for four, but no one else contributed."

Bovey Tracey are still looking for their first league win of the season after Exeter blocked it out for a draw.

Opener Chris Clayton top scored with 95 as Bovey hoisted 260 for four in 50 overs.

Exeter laboured to 56 for three under pressure from Devon spinner Chris Bradley (four for 27), meandered to 150 for four, then lost four wickets for nine runs, including Tyrone Kent (51) and Glenn Lammonby (43) and called it a day.

When the overs ran out Exeter were 171 for nine, although the last wicket fell to the final ball of the game, making it appear more of a nail-biter than is actually was.