By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

SKIPPER Neil Hancock belted a century off just 86 balls as holders Paignton breezed into the semi-finals of the Devon KO Cup with a thumping 111-run win at Braunton.

   Hancock clattered nine fours and seven sixes as the holders amassed 308 for five in their 40 overs.

   Along the   way Hancock shared a stand of 114 for the second wicket with West Indian Alston Bobb – he made 56 – and another of 81 with Tim Ward (80).

   Scoring at more than seven an over to win the game was always going to be too tall an order for Braunton – especially as former Somerset and England batsman Mark Lathwell wasn't playing.

   Lathwell suffered a groin strain playing against Exeter on Saturday afternoon and sat this game out in the scorebox as the club's regular scorer had commitments elsewhere.

   Hancock couldn't bowl due to a neck strain sustained in the Saturday afternoon win at Plympton, although it didn't matter as Braunton were reduced to 101 for eight after 28 overs anyway.

   Hancock gave some of his occasional bowlers a trundle to stop the game going completely dead and Braunton were able to get up to 197 for eight before the overs ran out.

   Tail-enders John Higgs (61no) and Jon Baglow (22) benefited from some help-yourself-bowling to put on 96 unbroken for the ninth wicket.

   Also through to tomorrow night's semi-final draw are Torquay, who had a slightly tougher time of it at Sidmouth, where they eventually ran out four-wicket winners.

   Sidmouth posted 210 for eight before their overs ran out – skipper Anthony Griffiths batting 39 of the 40 for a top score of 73.

   Griffiths and Josh Bess (52) put on 93 for the first wicket in 19 overs, but Sidmouth weren't allowed to accelerate away in the second half and would have been in trouble without Griffiths digging in.

   Torquay had the arithmetic of the chase worked out to the last detail and got home with seven balls to spare.

   The anchorman was Mike Pugh with 60, aided an abetted by Anthony Easton with 55. They put on 83 for the third wicket to break the back of the chase.

   Sandford breathed new life into a season that's going nowhere fast with a thumping 100-run win over Budleigh Salterton.

   The back-to-back Premier Division winners – they were hoping for a hat-trick of wins this season – are hovering just above the relegation danger area after losing to bottom club Seaton on Saturday.

   It was back to business as usual for Sandford as openers Richard Foan (29) and Matt Theedom (18) clattered 48 for the first wicket in just six overs.

   Neil Bettis (36) and David Lye (33) added another 92 for the third wicket and there as no respite in the last 10 overs as Trevor Anning (54no) and Richard Baggs (44no) cut loose.

   With 242 for four on the board, most of Budleigh's bowlers took a pasting. The honourable exceptions were Bob Dawson (2-25) and Peter Roebuck, whose eight overs only cost 32 runs.

   Budleigh were soon behind the asking rate having lost Dominic Telo (28) and Phil Holland (26) before they could really open their shoulders.

   When Roebuck was fifth out on 108 – one of two scalps for veteran seamer John Rhodes – it was down to Dawson and the bottom half of the order to pull off a remarkable win.

   It proved beyond them and the end wasn't long coming after Dawson was eighth out with the score on 124.

   Richard Coupe (4-13) mopped up as Budleigh were dismissed for 142 with 10 overs to go.

   Seaton, who won at Sandford on Saturday to get off the mark in the league after losing all seven games they had started before then, were brought back down to earth at Exeter in their quarter-final.

   For last season's beaten finalists brushed Seaton aside by five wickets en route to the last four.

   Seaton's new skipper Matt Hewer – a mid-season replacement for Andy Cottam – batted first after winning the toss and will have been disappointed not to make more than 172 all out in the last of the 40 overs.

   Arul Suppiah went off at a blistering pace to make 41 of the first 60 on the board and was followed by Tyrone Pigors (37) and Greg Foxwell (26) making runs before Exeter stamped on the brake.

   Matt Gitsham (3-22), Mark Gribble (2-40) and the Lammonby brothers with two wickets each bowled Exeter back into control.

   Exeter skipper Hugh Brown picked up where he left off during his 91 against Braunton on Saturday by nailing Seaton's bowlers for 57 of the first 81 runs scored.

   Will Warne came in at 85 for three after a mini stumble and batted through to make an unbeaten 72 as Exeter won at a canter. Warne hit five sixes during his stay and was smashed spinners Raul East   and Dave Field out of the attack before they finished their eight-over allocations.

RESULTS

   Paignton 308-5 (N Hancock 106, T Ward 80no, A Bobb 56; J Higgs 2-60), Braunton 197-8 (J Higgs 61no, B Gardiner 32; M Pedley 2-24, R Cooper 2-21). Paignton bt Braunton by 111 runs.

   Seaton 171 (A Suppiah 41, T Pigors 37, G Foxwell 26; D Lammonby 2-33, M Gitsham 3-22, M Gribble 2-40, G Lammonby 2-25), Exeter 175-5 (H Brown 57, W Warne 72no). Exeter bt Seaton by 5 wkts.

   Sandford 242-4 (T Anning 54no, N Bettis 46, R Baggs 44no, D Lye 33; R Dawson 2-25), Budleigh Salterton 142 (R Dawson 32, D Telo 28, P Holland 26; R Coupe 4-13, J Rhodes 2-34, R Foan 2-34). Sandford bt Budleigh Salterton by 100 runs.

   Sidmouth 210-8 (A Griffiths 73, J Bess 52; R Selway 2-33, M Bulbeck 2-48, K Davis 2-39), Torquay 214-6 (M Pugh 50, A Easton 55; M Webb 2-47). Torquay bt Sidmouth by 4 wkts.