C Division West round-up – week four: Cornwood 2nd XI four from four after eight-wicket win over Chudleigh | 'We did well in all three disciplines and controlled the game from start to finish' – Cornwood captain Robin Dart
CORNWOOD 2nd XI made it four out of four – and not a dropped point to be seen – with an eight-wicket win over Chudleigh that preserved their 100 per cent record at the top of the C Division West.
Chudleigh were missing players in key places, which meant drafting in 65-year-old second teamer Roger Wensley as an opening batter.
Will Heather (40) and Rob Clarke (26) were the only top-six batters to make much progress in a running total of 94 for seven. Yogi Yogesh made a steady 29 that took the final total to 154 all out.
Spin bowling proved profitable for the Wood with two wickets each for Jason Hall (2-15) and the Caunter brothers: Jacob (2-32) and Josiah (2-44). Seamer Will Sharp had two for 23. James Richardson was the other wicket taker. He also scored a direct hit on Wensley’s protective headgear.
Cornwood lost wickets at 39 and 97 on the way to victory. Surviving opener Charles Finan (80) and Stanley Baker (25) were the not-out batters at the end.
Robin Dart, the Cornwood captain, said: “We did well in all three disciplines and controlled the game from start to finish!
"It was a professional and workmanlike win” not much more to it if I'm honest.”
PROMOTION-chasing Ashburton remain second behind leaders Cornwood 2nd XI after an eight-wicket victory over bottom side Plymstock 2nd XI.
Runs were in short supply at Dean Cross where Plymstock could only muster 144 for seven in 45 overs.
Ashes’ spinner Aditya More pinned Plymstock down for nine overs, which only cost seven runs and brought him two wickets. Jack Warren (0-13) gave very little to hit. Matt Coon (3-29) took wickets in the middle order.
No Plymstock batter made more than opener Paul Birleson (24) Skipper Mike Blackmore was next best on 20.
Opener Steve Edmonds guided Ashburton to victory with an unbeaten 74. He hit 56 in boundaries from 62 balls faced.
Stands of 59 with Dan Coles and 68 with George Yabsley made light work of the chase.
SOUTH Devon skipper Jon Martin believes a change in attitude is responsible for the club’s promising start to the C Division West season.
Three wins in four outings, and 63 points out of 80 so far, represent South Devon’s best start to the season since winning promotion back to the C Division for 2023. Win number three was by five wickets over near neighbours Teignmouth & Shaldon last time out.
Martin, in his second stint skippering the Newton Abbot side, has tried to instil a fresh mindset into the squad … and it appears to be paying off.
“Genuinely, I think the boys have bought into the way I like to play cricket,” said Martin.
“Everyone is taking responsibility for their own performances and not sitting back relying on others to do the job.
“We aren't the best team by a million miles, but we do have 11 players on a pitch all with the same ability. If one person doesn't do it, the next one will.”
Mali Marshall is combining playing with coaching this season, which Martin sees as another reason results have perked up.
“Mali is doing an excellent job and that’s down to the lads wanting to get better and realising that what they do at training translates on to the pitch.
Jack Allen (4-22) backed up Martin (3-16) skittling T&S for 88. Karl Blackburn’s 22 was as good as it got for the visitors.
South Devon were a wobbly 19 for three in reply. Marshall (17), Toby Goodman (21no) and Kalen Warne (15) ensured there were no major mishaps.
KINGSBRIDGE opener James Westlake’s run of form continued with another half-century in a 166-run win over visiting Paignton 2nd XI.
Westlake, fresh from taking a ton off Ashburton, scored 72 in Kingsbridge’s total of 297 for four.
James Fletcher took over after Westlake was third out with the score on 151 and went on to top score with a run-a-ball 77.
Connor Rothwell (59) was 22 yards away during a stand that took Kingsbridge from 151 for three to 263 for four.
Keeping the runs down was hard work for Paignton, although Shresth Bhardwaj (0-36), Arthur Ray (1-49) and Will Milton (2-51) gave it a good go.
No Paignton batter made more than Arthur Ray (40) in an all-out total of 131. Best of the rest was acting captain Carl McFarlane with 14. Toby Hirons had a field day with the ball for Kingsbridge. His brisk medium pace claimed five Paignton wickets for 21 runs to hasten their demise.
IPPLEPEN 2nd XI were brought down to earth with a bump by an eight-wicket defeat at Brixham.
The Pens were fresh from a 108-run win over Plymstock 2nd XI, in which veteran opener Jeff Heath scored a century.
Seven days later Heath was in and out for six, Brixham rolled them over for 178 and the runs were knocked-off with more than three overs to spare.
Only skipper Chris Needham (26) in Ipplepen’s top six made much of a contribution to a running total of 75 for seven. The Pens were obliged to the Alsop brothers – Tobias (72no) and Henry (20) – for a 59-run stand for the ninth wicket that boosted the total.
Brixham’s Mohammed Shaikh (3-16) gave nothing away for nine overs. Lee Upham (2-33) was frugal as well.
Brixham lost wickets on 48 then 156 while they were chasing. Rhys Dallow (89) and Tom Hopper (43no) took Brixham in sight of the finishing line. Shaikh (10no) led them into the winners’ enclosure.
Harry Lewis, Steve Bowden and Henry Alsop all bowled tight spells for Ipplepen.
