Linnitt and Gribble steer Exeter to seven-wicket win over Cornwood | Paceman Fraser (pictured) collects three wickets

CORNWOOD came a seven-wicket cropper when they ran into Exeter in the top-four tussle at Oak Park.

The Wood, third in the table on the morning of the match, were all out for 102 in the 38th of their 50-overs allocation. Batting first was difficult on a challenging surface.

Exeter knocked off the runs with the minimum of inconvenience to move-up from third to fourth at Cornwood’s expense.

Exeter’s Josh Nott (3-29) and South African pacer Cameron Fraser had Cornwood under the cosh at 25 for four in the ninth over. 

Matt Skeemer, the Cornwood captain, was already in residence by then and batted out the rest of the innings for a top score of 37. Only former skipper Elliott Staddon (16) supplied worthwhile support.

Oawis Ahmad (2-21) and Sam Read (2-19) kept chiselling away at the bottom half of the order. Fraser (3-17) needed nine balls at the end to wrap things up.

Opener Oli Gribble top scored for Exeter with 54 as they hurtled along to win with more than 29 overs to spare. He hit four fours ­– three in the same over from Skeemer – and four sixes.

A stand of 66 for the second wicket with caretaker captain Seb Linnitt (43) had the game safely won for Exeter. Fraser and Robin Fern dealt with the last handful of runs needed.

Skeemer said losing the toss and batting first was a disadvantage, but there was more to the result than the flip of a coin.

“Exeter were much better at all three parts of the game and there’s not really a lot more to it than that,” said Skeemer “They comfortably deserved to win.”