CORNWOOD rang down the curtain on a season that failed to live up to their own expectations with a convincing 81-run win over visiting Exmouth.
Cornwood were never higher than third in the table after the first month of the season. Five defeats in seven starts either side of halfway ruled out any title prospects and the Wood went on to finish fourth… again!
Elliott Staddon, the Cornwood captain, believes he has the nucleus of a squad to push for the title as younger players in the group develop.
Said Staddon: “I will certainly hope to strengthen again for next season, but don't believe much is needed… We can continue to improve.”
Josiah Caunter got a rare chance to open the batting with both teams trying different things and his patient 28, plus 27 for James Richardson, helped Cornwood to 111-3.
Nav Fernando (32), Matt Butterworth (26) and Privett (39) took the final total to 239 all out. Privett and Jack Ormsby (13no) put on 41 for the final wicket.
Lawrence Greenway (3-49) and Fin Marks (3-31) were Exmouth’s most fruitful bowlers… just. Dan Pyle’s two for 28 from 10 overs was actually three for 12 from seven with the new ball before he was brought back at the end.
Opener James Horler made 55 – he was fifth out on 77 – and there were a brace of 24s down the order for Billy Reed and skipper Fin Marks.
Left-armer Lee Baker took four for 50 and Chris Parker, a very occasional bowler, mopped up at the with three for 25.
Meanwhile, three wickets each for Alex Shutt and Stanley Baker helped Cornwood 2nd XI to a 56-run win at South Devon.
The two teenagers – Baker is just 13 – did most of the damage as South Devon laboured to 173 all out.
Veteran opener Mark Andrews made 23, Jack Allen made 20 in the middle order and there was 32 off 28 balls lower down from captain Mali Marshall.
Robin Dart, the Cornwood captain, treated South Devon to his seldom-seen brand of left-arm seam bowling and booked respectable figures of one for 21 from eight overs.
Cornwood’s total of 229 all out was underpinned by a patient 80 from Jacob Caunter, who was bumped up the order. He went in at nine for one and was eighth out 200 runs later.
Along the way for Caunter were stands of 56 with Alex Shutt (27) and 66 with Sam Ford (20).
South Devon found wickets hard to come by at first, but Dan Duke (5-33) and Kalen Warne (2-31) finished strongly.
“We mixed things around a bit and it was great to see different people stand up and deliver in ways they usually wouldn't,” said Dart.
Cornwood have been resigned to a third-place finish behind Ivybridge and Paignton 2nd XI for a while.
