Bradninch & Kentisbeare maintain 100 per cent record at Cornwood's expense | Siboto claims big wicket to turn game B&K's way

BRADNINCH & Kentisbeare maintained their perfect record at the top of the Tolchards DCL Premier Division with a 43-run win over Cornwood.

It was the defending champions fourth max-pointer of the season so far and keeps them one point ahead of Paignton at the top of the table.

Mitch Pugh top scored for Bradninch & Kentisbeare with 90 in their 49-over total of 290 for seven.

Pugh and skipper Gary Chappell (55) took B&K from 54 for one to 141 for two during a stand of 87 for the second wicket. Jon Trinner (46) and Josh Farley (22) topped-up the tally in the later overs.

Cornwood seamer Matt Skeemer (0-24) kept the runs down for 10 overs. Jack Ormsby (0-26 off 8) was not far behind. Lee Baker (2-48) and Elliott Staddon (4-84) were the main wicket takers.

A one-over break for rain meant recourse to the Duckworth-Lewis System, which set Cornwood 292 to win. Eight overs out it looked like they were going to get them.

Samarpit Joshi – Sammy to his team-mates – was on 154 not out. Stands of 75 with Ryan Rickard (32) and 102 with George Thompson, who only made six of them, had taken Cornwood to 242 for six. Then Joshi got out.

Malusi Siboto (3-48) had Joshi caught by Chappell as short third-man, which prompted a massive collapse. Cornwood lost their last four wickets for just six runs on the way to 248 all out. Chappell (3-41) picked-up two of the Cornwood wickets that tumbled.

Chappell said the only thing he would have liked to have seen from the game was an earlier finish.

“Overall a dominant performance that would have been done and dusted earlier had we taken the few chances Joshi gave us,” said Chappell.

“But I don't want to take anything away from a quite special batting display. Some of the shots were on a different level. Fortunately, we got the deserved win in the end.”

It was the Wood’s third successive defeat and dropped them down to third from bottom in the latest table.

Four games into the season there is a 39-point gap between Cornwood and defending champions Bradninch & Kentisbeare, who have a 100 per cent record at the top.

Staddon said despite the outcome, there were positives to take away.

“Samarpit showed what an unbelievable player he is with some unbelievable shots,” said Staddon.

“Keep him in form, and a few of us start to get it going, the wins will come.”