HATHERLEIGH trounced Paignton by 124 runs to complete a Premier Division double that keeps hopes alive of dodging the drop.

Paignton travelled to Hatherleigh looking to set the record straight after losing by eight wickets when the two sides met back in May.

Instead, Paignton were spun out by Kagiso Rapulana and Eddie Jones for 103 chasing the 227 for nine Hatherleigh made after they lost the toss and were stuck in.

Hatherleigh (97pts) are still bottom and Paignton (124) are hovering above Plymouth (119) in the scrap to dodge the drop.

With seven games to go before the end of the season the relegation fight is only going to heat up.

Rob Fishleigh (38) and Rapulana (59) got Hatherleigh away to a 97-run start before Divyaansh Saxena (3-22) split them up.

Gareth Tidball dug in for the long haul and made 49 off 70 balls as Hatherleigh advanced towards 200. Paul Heard (29) and Matt Dennis (23) chipped in.

Luke Medlock (3-39) got some reward for a tidy spell with two wickets in his final over.

Paignton made an encouraging start through Harry Ward (24) and Saxena (40), but after Ward went there was little support for Saxena from the middle order as Rapulana (4-24) and Jones (4-34) twirled away.

By the time Saxena was seventh out on 81 no other batter had made more than Charlie Ward, who was 10 not out at the other end.

Jones and Charlie Presswell quickly put Paignton out of their misery.

Mark Lake, the Hatherleigh captain, would no doubt be happy to play Paignton every week the way results have gone this season.

Looking back on the match, Lake said: ‘It was a brilliant performance set-up by a brilliant opening partnership that won us the game.

‘Paignton never looked like getting anywhere near the total in a clinical and disciplined bowling performance led by Jonty and Eddie Jones.’