Cornwood taste defeat for first time

CORNWOOD lost for the first time this season when North Devon defeated them by 51 runs in the Sandhills at Instow.

- CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

PREMIER DIVISION 

North Devon, previously winless in six Premier Division outings, were definite underdogs against a side that was unbeaten in every game it had started and sitting pretty at the top of the table.

Cornwood remain top of the shop, but their lead over second-placed Heathcoat has been trimmed to a point.

Jack Moore stroked exactly a hundred from 120 balls faced for North Devon in their total of 277 for six.

Moore and Dan Bowser (38) put on 102 for North Devon’s fourth wicket after Josh Coker (2-22) and Matt Skeemer took out the top three. Among the casualties was opener Shantanu Mishra (6), who flew home to India yesterday (Sunday) to play for Odisha in the Ranji Trophy competition.

When Bowser departed on 145 for four, the runs kept coming from James Tyson, whose 79 off 43 balls had Cornwood chasing leather. The first ball he faced sailed over midwicket for six.

A stand of 95 between Moore and Tyson ended when the former got out to Cornwood skipper Elliott Staddon to the first ball he faced after reaching three figures.

Jay Bista, Cornwood’s own Indian professional, had a rare failure as he was in and out for three to Josh King: lbw to Josh King. Not that it mattered.

Max Finzel, Cornwood’s surviving opener, batted on and on for a patient 113 that anchored the chase.

Back-up from Ben Beaumont (15) and Ryan Rickard (39) got Cornwood up to 183 for two, which was when they lost Finzel.

Spinner Ben Howe caused consternation in the Cornwood camp with a burst of wicket-taking activity – he picked up five for 28 – and with their last four wickets tumbling for 19 runs the leaders were all out for 217.

■ PLYMPTON’S season literally hit a new low when they went down to a six-wicket defeat against Sandford.