DCL C Division West
Cornwood second XI 155 all out,
Dartington and Totnes first XI 156-4;
Cornwood (five points) lost to D and T
(20 points) by six wickets
Dartington and Totnes first XI avenged their defeat earlier in the season and got back to winning ways with a comfortable six-wicket victory over Cornwood seconds at a damp and windy Oak Park.
D and T skipper Harold Stevenson won the toss and, with the threat of rain, elected to bowl first; they didn’t have to wait long for the first wicket to fall.
With the score on 13, opener Daniel Piddock edged a James Howrihane delivery behind to ‘keeper Alex Winch; he could only parry the ball to Chris Cook at first slip, who held on to a superb one-handed catch.
16 runs were added for the second wicket before Ciaran Gray was yorked by Matt Sevior for 19. The score was 45 when the third Cornwood wicket fell, Howrihane picking up a second when he bowled Duncan Boase for 13.
James Horgan joined Cornwood captain Ben Griffiths at the crease and the pair added 69 runs for the fourth wicket.
The partnership was eventually broken when quick hands from Winch and a smart piece of bowling from Cook saw Horgan depart stumped for 23.
Cook had a second wicket soon after when he bowled Ewan Grewal for seven to leave the home side on 129-5.
The Cornwood middle and lower order collapsed as their final five wickets fell for the addition of just 26 runs.
Luke Richardson was bowled by Willy Wyatt for 0 and Cook took his third and fourth when he bowled Josh Goodliffe for a duck and had Nathan Parsons LBW also for 0 to leave Cornwood struggling on 138-8.
The home side were grateful of the 16 runs added for the ninth wicket.
However, Cook then picked up his fifth wicket when Bradley Nichols top edged a delivery that was caught by ‘keeper Winch to fall for four.
The home side were bowled out for 155 when Griffiths, who had batted excellently for his 63, was caught on the boundary by Wyatt to become Harry Baxendale’s first wicket.
It had been an excellent bowling performance by D and T but the visitors knew that with the threat of rain still looming, they would have to keep up with the required run rate for their innings.
Cook had been the standout bowler, taking 5-13 from seven overs, but had been ably backed up by all of the remaining bowlers.
Opening pair of James Howrihane and Ollie Payne put on 12 for the first wicket before Howrihane was bowled for 12 by Josh Goodliffe. Two wickets fell with the score on 42, the first being Payne caught and bowled by Daniel Piddock for 19 and the second being number three Harry Baxendale, who was bowled by Goodliffe for 11.
The next two partnerships were the match-winning ones. The first was between Cook and Matt Sevior. Together, the pair added 57 for the fourth wicket before Sevior was bowled by Ewan Grewal for 15.
The second partnership was between Cook and Joe Parker and again added 57, however this time it was unbroken to see D and T home. Cook capped off a fine game to finish 39 not out and Parker 28 unbeaten.
It had been an excellent all-round performance by D and T, led by Chris Cook with five wickets, a one-handed catch and 39 not out but with good performances also from Joe Parker with the bat and James Howrihane, Matt Sevior and Willy Wyatt with the ball.
D and T first XI face a derby clash next Saturday away at Ashburton while the second team are at home to Shaldon seconds in a crucial clash.