Devon Cricket Board - Cornwood face uphill battle for survival

Cornwood face uphill battle for survival

CORNWOOD’S Premier Division survival prospects are hanging by a thread after they went down by five wickets to visiting Bovey Tracey.

With three games to go and 66 points to play for, the Corns are joint bottom of the table with Sandford.

To reach safety they have to get ahead of Torquay and stay there – which seems unlikely looking at the existing deficit.

Cornwood are 39 points behind Torquay and just to wipe that deficit out means a side that’s only won three games all season needs to win two of the last three.

One of Cornwood’s remaining games is against Torquay on the penultimate Saturday of the season, which is their only lifeline.

But if Cornwood lose to North Devon this Saturday and Torquay win at home to Heathcoat, it will be as good as all over.

Cornwood recovered from 82 for five midway through their 50 overs to make 202 all out. Only Ben Warren (27) of the top five made much headway.

Matt Skeemer (37) and skipper Jason Hall (26) put on 45 before Malcolm Lake (2-26) bowled Skeemer.

After Ryan Rickard came and went for a couple, Hall and Byron Langley (49) notched up another 34 for the eighth wicket.

Langley was last man out to Lake having wrung out 34 for the final wicket with Mat Butterworth.

Lake bowled tidily, so did Ryan Bougourd (2-24) and Chris Bradley (1-25) but the pick of the bowlers with three for 38 was Devon all-rounder Matt Golding.

Zimbabwean U19 captain Lake then led the Bovey run chase with a patient 87.

Peter Bradley (17) and skipper Andy Fairbairn (5) missed out – Butterworth (2-62) got them both – but Lake and Golding ensured there were no slip ups.

By the time Elliot Staddon spun out opener Lake, the total was 145 for three.

Golding batted on to reach 60 not out from 91 balls as Bovey eased to victory with exactly eight overs to spare.

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