MATT Skeemer was Cornwood’s star man with bat and ball in a five-wicket win over Exeter in the Tolchards DCL Premier Division.

Skeemer was among the wickets with a three-for-17 haul –all in the top five – as well as hitting seven fours ands four sixes on the way to 67 not out.

His captain, Elliott Staddon, unsurprisingly labelled him as the “difference maker” in the third win of the campaign.

Exeter laboured to 51 for four under pressure from Skeemer and Ben Privett (3-24) before Sam Read (59) got on top of the Cornwood bowling.

Wickets for Joe Gore (3-41) slowed the Wood at times on the other side of the ball, but once Skeemer got going there was only going to be one outcome.

Cornwood stay third in the table behind Sandford and Bradninch & Kingsbridge despite the win.

Cornwood 2nd XI also enjoyed a victorious weekend, defeating Plymouth by 41 runs to move into third place in the Tolchards DCL C Division West.

Cornwood got to 132 relatively easily against Plymouth with Josh Goodliffe (43), Charlie Finan (27), Sam Griffiths (32) and Fin Torley (21) all weighing in.

Azir Rahmanzi (4-32) caused some concern in the Cornwood middle order as the running total slowed to 141 for seven, but they still were able to reach 229 all out.

Plymouth got off to the worst start imaginable on the chase as opener George Toms was out first ball to Alex Shutt.

Ed Lockett (22) and Sam Knapman (21) rebuilt slowly, but after they went Plymouth crept to 95 for six then 104 for eight.

The pick of the bowlers were Hall (2-38), Josiah Caunter (2-22) and Goodliffe, whose six overs only cost 10 runs.

Cornwood’s captain labelled experience down the order as vital after a ‘middle-order wobble’.

Moving back up to B Division and Rinesh Raheja dug out an unbeaten 67 to steer Cullompton to a six-wicket win over fellow high-flyers Stoke Gabriel.

Raheja, whose limpet-like qualities have been a feature of his time in the Tolchards DCL, opened up with Dan King and was still there when the target of 133 was passed.

Along the way, the compact left-hander hit 10 fours from 80 balls faced and put on exactly 50 with captain Brendon Parr (36), reducing the target down to one to win.

Only Justin Pringle (0-26) among the Stoke bowlers was able to keep the pursuit below four an over while he wheeled away, whilst they also struggled with the bat in hand.

Equally, Stoke had found runs hard to come by, in particular while James Vincent was operating.

Captain Jake Robinson said Stoke were their own worst enemies, although one defeat could be a blessing in disguise, "It's a shame we didn't turn up as it could have been a cracking game. We had a performance like that last year so hopefully it'll be a rocket up the backside again.

"Our batting let us down as 132 is simply not enough to defend on that ground.”