Bess (pictured) and Barrow flay Cornwood's bowling in nine-wicket win | 'Luke and Alex batted with authority and quality' – Jackson Thompson

CONRAD SUTCLIFFE REPORTING

CORNWOOD’S prospects at the wrong end of the Premier table continue to look grim after they lost by nine wickets at Sidmouth.

Ben Beaumont top scored with 60 for Cornwood in their 47-over total of 207 all out.

Luke Bess, the Sidmouth captain, then struck an unbeaten century as his side romped to victory with more than 20 overs to spare.

Cornwood captain Jackson ThompsonJackson Thompson (36) and Cirian Gray (47) got Cornwood up to 59 for two then Beaumont and Ryan Rickard (38) got the total up to 184 for four.

The last five wickets fell for just five runs scored once Rickard was sixth out on 202. Matt Parker (3-64) was Sidmouth’s leading wicket taker. Charlie Miles, Tom Simmons and Jordan Fowler had two each.

Sidmouth lost opener Isaac Thomas in the first over from Adam Goodliffe, which was the only wicket to fall.

Bess and former Devon captain Alex Barrow then destroyed the bowling during an unbroken stand of 208.

Barrow smashed Ethan Carlisle for 16 in an over and Josh Goodliffe went for 15 in an over to Bess that was 11 balls in duration due to wides.

Bess finished on 107 not out – 13 fours, four sixes – and Barrow had 12 boundaries in his 84.

Defeat leaves Cornwood one off the bottom of a recalculated Premier table now arranged by average points gained per match. Bovey Tracey, the team the Corns have to get past to reach safety are 2.14 points better off.

Realistically, Cornwood have to win at least one more game than Bovey do in the last set of six to reach safety. For a team with only one win all season that’s a huge ask.

Skipper Thompson has not abandoned all hope yet, but accepts his side need to start winning games and more of the top six or seven have to score more runs if they are going to do it.

“Ciaran Gray and Ben Beaumont played really well for their runs and looked the part and on a day when we were missing key players, it was good to see those guys stand up and be counted,” said Thompson.

“However, in the end we were well below par for the wicket and Sidmouth’s chase proved it. Luke and Alex batted with authority and quality!”

On Cornwood’s survival prospects, Thompson said: “Make no mistake, the battle is much harder for us now.

“We can only take one game at a time considering other logistical challenges surrounding availability of players throughout the club.”

Sidmouth remain third with an minus-three point deficit on second-placed Sandford and almost four points on average between them and leaders Heathcoat.

It may not seem a lot, but skipper Bess has had his calculator out and doubts whether Sidmouth can improve on where they are now.

“Realistically it's only a two-team title race,” said Bess after his side’s weekend win over struggling Cornwood.

 “Something drastic would have to happen for us to be in with a shout.”  

EXETER had to pull out of the inter-city clash with Plymouth after a crop of Covid-19 alerts pinged in.

The source of the trouble was a midweek under-19 game involving Exeter’s young players that sparked self-isolation alerts a couple of days later. 

Average points will be awarded for the game when final tables are calculated at the end of the season.