DCL A Division
Cornwood 1st XI 205-3,
1st XI 202-9;
Cornwood (19 points) beat Abootskerswell (five points) by seven wickets
Cornwood CC moved two points clear at the top of the Tolchards Devon Cricket League A Division on Saturday with a seven-wicket win over promoted Abbotskerswell.
Winning the toss, Corns captain Matt Skeemer elected to field. Despite a jittery start, Abbots got into a good position, putting on 72 for the first wicket, before Small-Boyce fell for 27. The Abbots top order all made decent contributions, whilewickets fell at regular intervals. Opener James Westlake top scored with 59, and the Abbots total closed on 202 for 9 wickets. Adam Goodliffe lead the wicket count with 3-46, while Matt Tamsett with 2-31 and Josh Goodliffe (2-27) both contributed.
In reply Cornwood started steadily, with Owen Gannon and Aaron Richards picking off the bad balls and getting the team up to 44 runs before Gannon was caught off the bowling of S Carpenter. Richards continued to bat sensibly along with Ryan Rickard and pushed the score along to 32 before being trapped LBW to Nick Watkins.
A positive run-scoring partnership then followed between Ryan Rickard (41) and Muhammad Salman (31 not out). When Rickard was dismissed, skipper Skeemer stepped up to deliver the victory with an unbeaten 34 runs.
This victory made it four from four for Cornwood and set up a big game on Saturday against second-placed Paignton CC, who had an impressive win against local rivals Torquay CC.
Cornwood second XI managed their first victory of the season away at Darlington and Totnes 1st XI.
Bowling first, Cornwood managed to get D and T all out for 108 runs, with the pick of the bowlers being colt Sam Griffiths 4-13, supported by skipper Lee Baker 2-21 and Andy Bees 3-27.
With a rain-reduced target, Cornwood chipped off the 92 runs needed with 20 overs to spare. Nathaniel Bell (22) and James Richardson (45) scored the majority of the runs. Cornwood IIs face local rivals Plympton IIs at Harewood Park on Saturday.