Cornwood's Finan clatters 178 but ends up four-run loser against Hatherleigh | 'Really pleased to win a close game, if we want to stay up winning games like these will be key' – Rob Cockwill

HATHERLEIGH defeated Cornwood by four runs to put some distance between themselves and the Tolchards DCL bottom two.

Hatherleigh’s nail-biting win moved them nine points clear of the relegation places going into the second half of the season, which swings into action this Saturday at home to bottom side Sidmouth.

Niall Leahy and in-form Gareth Tidball both made half-centuries for Hatherleigh, and Emerson Wood should have had one as well, in Hatherleigh’s 50-over total of 325 for eight.

Charlie Finan, who opened-up for Cornwood, was out for 178 two balls into the final over with 11 still needed for victory. The target proved just a few too many for the Wood, who ran out of time on 321 for five.

Robin Dart, who led Cornwood in the absence of 1st XI skipper Matt Skeemer, said: “Great game – but gutting to not quite get there.

“Either team could’ve won going into the last five overs, but credit to the Hatherleigh bowlers, who held their nerve and bowled their areas.”

Finan’s personal score was the second highest totalled by any Premier batter this season. Only Cornwood team-mate Mohsin Khan, who struck 203 not out against Sandford in round two, has gone further.

Leahy (62) and Shrey Ghosh (25), got Hatherleigh up to 120 for two, then Tidball (54) kicked on to 248 for five with help from Jasper Presswell and Wood (49).

Paul Heard (23) and Charlie Presswell (27no) added 56 for the eighth wicket in the latter overs.

The Baker duo – dad Lee (2-38) and lad Stanley (2-49) – were the only Cornwood bowlers to take more than one wicket.

Finan, whose hospital doctoring commitments limit his time on the cricket pitch, had never made a half-century in the first team prior to this game.  His big stands were 148 for the third wicket with Khan (72), 66 with Chris Parker (21) and 55 with skipper Dart (18no).

The Wood started the final over from Jasper Presswell (2-39) on 314 for four. After Finan was caught by Charlie Presswell at long-on the target was scoring 10 from four balls, which eluded Dart and new man in Sam Griffiths.

Rob Cockwill, the Hatherleigh skipper, said: “It was an important win for us.

“Really pleased to win a close game, if we want to stay up winning games like these will be key.

“If I was being critical, we should have scored a few more runs. And had we held our chances in the field it would have been a slightly less stressful afternoon.”

Cockwill also had two rounds of praise for Cornwood’s batting start Finan

“He batted extremely well and didn’t really deserve to be on the losing side,” said Cockwill.

“He also managed to fix Mark Lake’s dislocated finger in the middle of his innings.”

“Of course the highlight of the day was a fantastic Hatherleigh tea, topped off with some delicious pasties.”

Dart said there was nothing to be gained from pondering long over who won or lost … or why. He was much more interested in the positives.

“It was one of those that whichever team lost, you could highlight a few ifs, buts and maybes,” said Dart.

“Charlie’s first century in the first team since joining us in 2018 was a fantastic knock. He really is a class player to have around, when available.”

That’s two defeats in a row for Cornwood, who go into the second half of the season fourth in the table.