Bradninch & Kentisbeare Ladies skipper Meg Acton led from the front, scoring a wonderful run-a-ball half century as her team succumbed to a nine wicket home defeat at the hands of Topsham Str James Laddies in their latest Devon League Division Two outing.
After winning the toss and opting to bat, B&K lost opener Yvonne Jackson, for 16 and then fellow Sarah Stanbury had to retire with one run to her name. Faye Ross was bowled with two runs to his name and Emma Farley hit a cultured 16 before she fell and skipper Acton was the fourth wicket to fall, but not before she had scored an 11-boundary 55-ball 57.
When the skipper was out the score was 138-4 with Paula Rovira, the not out batter. It was Rovira who was the fifth wicket, but she made a useful contribution of 15, but thereafter, wicket fell at regular intervals to leave B&K closing their 35 overs on 175 all out.
The other batting totals were: Justine Reed (0), Heather Stanbury (2), Carrian Jones (4) and Sarah Padbury (0) with the not out batter being Roxy Phillips with three runs to her name.
In terms of the Topsham St James bowling returns, the pick of them was the 3-33 from the six overs sent down by Lily Harlond while Rosie Millers return was 2-20 from six and there were single wickets for Claire Pym, Helen Brandom and Lucy Humphreys.
Topsham St James raced to an eight-wicket win, requiring just 28 overs and two balls to cross the winning line at 179-2.
Opener Claire Pym carried her bat for an unbeaten 90-ball 73 and number four bat Lucy Humphreys hit a 45-ball 50 before being bowled by Carrian Jones.
The only other home success in the field was a run out by Emma Farley to end the innings of Sally Hammond who hit a 47-ball 16.
The B&K bowling returns were topped by the 1-31 in five overs delivered by Carrian Jones while the other returns were: Faye Ross (0-32 from four), Yvonne Jackson (0-25 from seven), Heather Stanbury (0-45 from seven), Emma Farley (0-16 from two) and skipper Meg Acton (0-28 from 3.2 overs).