CORNWOOD pulled off the shock of the day in the Premier Division when they beat  Exeter by three wickets.

Exeter went into the game unbeaten at the top of the table – and Cornwood were winless one off the bottom.

Cornwood bowled out Exeter for 183 – spinners Jason Hall and Elliot Staddon doing most of the damage – and reached 109 for one in reply on the chase.

Aaron Richards and Jackson Thompson were the batters who did the business after opener Mark Roca got a first-baller from ex-Somerset paceman Alfonso Thomas.

A major collapse to 121 for five put the game in the balance, but Steve Lambert (15), Ryan Rickard with a patient 21 not out and Matt Butterworth (11no) got Cornwood over the line.

It’s just as well Cornwood did win as fellow strugglers Heathcoat, also winless after four games, defeated Sidmouth to get off the mark.

Cornwood are still in the bottom two, but have gone 17-points clear of basement side Brixham and are one-win way from mid-table.

For skipper Staddon it was a relief to get a win, but there remains plenty to do.

“It was a day where things we had been working on clicked into place,” said Staddon.

“We fielded superbly, making sure we took our chances when they came.

“Myself and Jason Hall slowed the rate down and managed to pick up regular wickets, which kept us on top. We felt we had a massive chance going into the break.

“Jackson Thompson and Aaron Richards went out and batted superbly, leaving us a fantastic platform to push on and knock off the remainder of runs.

“We had to dig in towards the end with some wickets falling, but Ryan Rickard battled brilliantly at the end annd with Matt Butterworth saw us over the line.

“We must continue to improve and keep working hard throughout the week in order to keep getting better.”

Skipper Miles Lenygon played the anchorman role for Exeter, going in at 40 for two after Thomas went lbw to Matt Skeemer and batted through to the end.

The main stands involving Lenygon were one of 56 with Rob Holman – he made 33 – and a last-wicket partnership of 59 with tail-ender Jon Tipper (18no).

Tipper went in at 124 for nine after Hall (3-26) and  Staddon (4-45) between them had just taken  seven wickets for 28 runs.

Lenygon was last man out for 83 off 79 balls during a 115-minute stay, in which he didn’t see a huge amount of the strike at times.

“Had Tipps not batted properly at the end with me, we would have been bowled out for about 130 in 30 overs on a relatively easy track, which would have been quite embarrassing,” said Lenygon.

Losing Roca so early was a blow for Cornwood, although a bowler of Thomas’ class is always likely to strike with the new ball.

The reaction was positive from the Corns with Thompson (60) and Richards (49) putting on 109.

George Greenway (2-20) and Blake Reed (2-33) sparked a mini-collapse with four wickets for 12 runs, but Cornwood had time on their side and with sensible batting down the order got home with more than seven overs to go.

Said Lenygon: “We bowled ok and gave ourselves a chance.

“Cornwood fully deserved the win; they got off to a great start in the chase and when we were just about getting on top their lower middle order batted very calmly.”