A FIVE-wicket haul from spinner Josiah Caunter set Cornwood 2nd XI on course for a runaway win over Plymstock in the C Division West.
Matt Puttock and Adam Goodliffe (2-7) had a wicket each at the top of the order, and it was Caunter and Caunter almost all the way after that.
Josiah Caunter claimed five Plymstock wickets for just eight runs and there were two more for brother Jacob (2-6) as Plymstock were skittled for a paltry 51.
Three Plymstock batters reached double figures – Mamun Choudhury (15), Hobson Ward (10) and Jamie Palfreyman (16) which does not leave much from the rest. Five batters did not score at all!
Josh Goodliffe was the only Cornwood loss before Robin Dart (32no) and Stanley Baker (8no) wrapped-up a nine-wicket win in the eighth over.
Dart, the Cornwood captain, described the win as ‘a perfect start’ to a season he hopes will end in a long-awaited promotion.
Dart added: “Chasing low totals can go one of two ways as we found this time last season when we got bowled out for 46 chasing 90 versus Kingsbridge.
“We know what can happen if you don't take it away from the defending team early. Thankfully, this year, we were able to do just that.”
GEORGE Yabsley and Lloyd White did the hard work with the bat to set Ashburton en-route to a six-wicket C West win over South Devon on the Varwell Field.
After opener Steve Edmonds had been and gone for 30, Yabsley (44) and White pushed Ashes reply along to 122 for three.
Skipper White was still there on 49 when Ashburton passed the 175 needed for victory.
South Devon found run-scoring hard work against Nick Martin (3-29) and Matt Coon, (3-44), both of whom snared three-wicket hauls.
Only Mali. Marshall among the top five made a significant score, Skipper Jonny Martin rescued South Devon from a potentially early exit with 53 down the order.
MARK Solway’s second stint as Chudleigh captain got under way with a crushing eight-wicket win over Brixham.
Brixham got to 125 for two without too many problems courtesy of runs from Richard Ward (46), Tom Hopper (50) and Chris Lanyon (45). The middle order then took part in a vanishing act any magician would have been proud of.
Eight wickets disappeared for 20 runs scored as Mark Halse (4-11), Rob Clarke (2-27) and Will Heather (2-17) conjured-up ways of removing batsmen.
Solway and Nick Halse were the only casualties of the Chudleigh chase. Heather lashed 16 fours and two sixes on the way to 90 not out as he and Clarke (31no) knocked off the runs.
IPPLEPEN 2nd XI made a winning start to life in the C Division West with a workmanlike, three-wicket win over Kingsbridge.
Forty-nine wides made-up the greatest total in Kingsbridge’s score of 157 all out. Significant runs off the bat were logged by Jack Brown (30) and James Westlake (25).
Pens’ left-armer Harry Lewis bowled straight enough to claim six wickets for 42 runs. Steve Bowden had two for 11.
Ipplepen had to regroup after dipping to 22 for three in reply. Bowden (22), the ever-youthful Jeff Heath (23) made a start, then Freddie Harvey (44) carried on the good work.
Marcus Green (17no) and Lewis (18) took Pens within sight of the finishing line.
LEWIS Swar and Mark Gilmour were Paignton 2nd XI’s men of the moment in their three-wicket win over Teignmouth & Shaldon.
Swar took six T&S wickets for just 27 runs to help bowl them out for 157. Three wickets in five balls in his first spell had the visitors reeling at 28 for four.
Karl Blackburn (64) and Carl Woolnough (31) added 95 for the fifth wicket to make the score more respectable.
Gilmour trumpeted his return to Queen’s Park after a grand tour of the South Devon cricket circuit with 86 off 55 balls during the chase. He hit 14 fours and a six before Ryan Bougourd (3-27) got him out.
Two wickets each for Woolnough and Jawad Shirzad could not prevent Paignton winning the game with more than 14 overs in hand.
