Successful season for Sandford

PREMIER DIVISION - CORNWOOD captain Elliott Staddon believes wherever his side finish in the Premier Division the season will have been a success.

-  CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

Sandford, who clinched the title with a week to go in the Tolchards DCL season, will be the visitors to Oak Park this Saturday in the final round of league fixtures.

Cornwood have been there or thereabouts in the top four for most of the season and Saturday’s 48-run win at Bovey Tracey moved them up to third.

Outgoing champions Bradninch & Kentisbeare (237pts) and jostling with Cornwood (236) and Sidmouth (also 236) for the consolation prize as runners-up. Cornwood cannot finish any lower than fourth whatever happens against Sandford.

Staddon said irrespective of were Cornwood finish they will have improved on last season.

“No matter whether we end up – second or fourth – we can be extremely proud and pleased with a season that has given us loads for us to build on moving forward,” said Staddon.

“We have seen big improvements in players and that’s a massive thing for us as a club.

“And a higher finish than last season – when we were fifth – shows we are continuing to move in the right direction.”

Max Finzel marked his unexpected inclusion in Devon’s squad for the National Counties play-off game against Buckinghamshire next week with a top score of 46 in Cornwood’s total of 180 all out.

Finzel, who impressed for Devon in the annual Showcase Game against Somerset last month when brought in as a late replacement, will bat up the order as cover for the holidaying Matt Thompson.

Charles Finan made 36 – he and Finzel totted-up 65 for the first wicket – and there was a rock-steady 30 from Chris Parker that held the middle order together.

Bovey’s wicket-taking duties were shared among five of the seven bowlers used. Spinners Ollie Clifford-Bourne (3-34) and Toby Codd (2-25) fared better than the rest.