CORNWOOD captain Elliott Staddon has admitted his side has some work to do before they can consider themselves genuine Premier Division title challengers.

The Wood have been swept aside when they have run into second-placed Sandford and current leaders Bradninch & Kentisbeare.

The most recent reversal, by 86 runs to Bradninch & Kentisbeare in a rain-disrupted match at Oak Park, dropped Cornwood down to fifth in the table. They are 45 points behind the leaders.

Staddon said it is a two-horse race for the title from now on – and he can see why.

“Sandford and Bradninch & Kentisbeare are two sides who seem to get games in the balance over the line,” said Staddon.

“We need to improve on that before we begin to compete at the top.”

Staddon said the way the game against Bradninch & Kentisbeare panned out proved his point.

“We had the game in a good place, needing a run-a-ball with eight wickets in the bank, but a batter not going on and then a collapse just killed the game,” said Staddon.

“It was a strange and long day of cricket, with a lot of on and off due to the weather, and we can look at conditions making it difficult for us and reduced bowling.

“However, Bradninch bowled better and Dan Hardy was excellent for them first innings and made a difference.”

Hardy, who went in at 13 for one for B&K, batted through for an unbeaten 82 in his side’s 38-over total of 213 for three.

Bandu Warnapura, fresh from taking a ton off Plympton seven days earlier, made 57 in a 180-run stand with Hardy for the third wicket.

Justin Wubbeling made a rapid 22 not out in the later overs as he and Hardy put on 68 unbroken in the dash for runs.

Keeping the runs down wasn’t an issue for Cornwood bowlers Matt Skeemer (0-16), Alex Shutt (1-13) or James Richardson (0-12). Others fared less successfully.

Taking wickets was a problem though with no Cornwood bowler taking more than one.

The Duckworth-Lewis charts had to be consulted due to rain breaks – and told Cornwood they had to make 228 in 38 overs to win. They were all out for 141.

The Wood were looking good at 114 for two with Devon batter Ben Beaumont settled in on 48 not out.

The game hinged on Beaumont getting stumped by Wubbeling off the bowling of spinner Josh Farley.

Skipper Elliott Staddon (23) was one of three wickets to tumble as Cornwood dipped to 129 for five as Farley and Jon Triner worked through the batting.

There was a brief respite before Jason Hall was bowled by Triner. From then on it was downhill to 141 all out.

Cornwood lost eight wickets for 27 runs to Farley (5-30) and Triner (3-28) as they collapsed in a heap.