CORNWOOD are up to second in the Tolchards DCL Premier Division table following a two-wicket win over visiting Sidmouth.

Sidmouth, who were asked to bat first, were all out for 167 in the 49th of their 50 overs.

Acting captain Cameron Grainger top scored for Sidmouth with 29 not out after going in at 85 for five. Only Codi Yusuf (22) made it into the 20s before or after Grainger went in.

Wickets were shared out two each for Matt Skeemer, skipper Elliot Staddon, Jay Bista and James Richardson at the death.

Harry Woolway bowled 10 overs of medium pace for just 17 runs conceded – miserly stuff!

Cornwood found knocking off the runs hard work and were eight wickets down and into the 48th over before toppling over the line.

Ryan Rickard was in and out for 39 in a running total of 86 for five, Skeemer (18) had been and gone by the time to chase reached 119 for six and it was the combined efforts of George Thompson (26no) and Staddon (14) that got Cornwood home.

Sidmouth spinner Charlie Miles (4-26) damaged Cornwood’s middle order batting after Will Murray and Yusuf had taken a wicket each up top.

Winning skipper Staddon said Cornwood had some slices of luck, but that should not detract from a quality win.

“It was a great win and performance from the team, one of the best bowling and fielding displays we have probably put on in the Premier Division,” said Staddon.

“We gave very little to Sidmouth, took all our catches and made any run they scored hard work – and on what was a good wicket we felt in great position half way through. 

“A little bit more composure with the bat and we could have made the chase a bit more convincing, but great knocks from Ryan Rickard and George Thompson gave us what we needed to get over the line.

“We had a bit of luck due to Sidmouth dropping a couple of catches in the slips, but I felt we earned the luck we got over the day.”

Cameron Grainger, the Sidmouth captain, said he had an inkling how the game would go when his side were asked to bat first.

“That Cornwood won the toss and decided to bowl, on a beauty of a day, speaks for itself,” said Grainger.

“One thing we need to improve on is assessing the wickets when we travel away, because they often have a very different par score than the Fortfield!

“Cornwood bowled very well from the start to restrict scoring. We failed to come up with an effective strategy to score and we struggled to get a total on the board. We were 40 runs light of a defendable total.”

Plus points for Grainger and Sidmouth were the way they made Cornwood work for their win, although there is one glaring area fir improvement.

“We bowled well and picked up key early wickets to maintain pressure on Cornwood to give us an outside chance of a win,” said Grainger.

“One big work-on is to reduce the extras bowled. We gave away 30, which is unacceptable, especially when defending a low total on a low-scoring ground.”

Cornwood are five points behind leaders Heathcoat three rounds into the season and four points ahead of Plymouth, who won by three wickets at Hatherleigh.