The Sweep 25 Week 8: Cornwood’s bowlers bring the heat on a sultry clean-sweep Saturday
- Cornwood Cricket club
- Jun 24
- 8 min read
Words: Simon Travers
Match Photos: Ivor Thomas
The club had 68 players available for DCL selection at the weekend. That’s obviously great news as it is evidence the behind the scenes work of our committee and volunteers is delivering on a vision of making Cornwood a place where people want to play cricket. That availability meant four strong sides on paper, but would that translate into on field performances?
The Ones were away at the Premier Division’s surprise package Paignton. Since Covid, Paignton have been forced to prioritise survival but the seasiders were a bowling point short of perfection through May. Luke Medlock has registered back-to-back centuries and the side have been strengthened by signing Ayabulela Gqamana, a fast medium South African with 9 first class five-fers. Gqamana is currently the leading wicket taker in the Premier Division, with Lee Baker and Elliott Staddon in hot pursuit.
Electing to bat, Cornwood were tested by Paignton’s opening bowlers in a Powerplay that more resembled seeing off the new ball than looking for a jump start. The Bens, Privett and Beaumont, built progress with a 49 run Third wicket partnership to reach 69-3 in 18.4 overs. This week, Ben Privett played the anchor role with resolute 51 from 97 balls in two hours and twenty-one sweat-soaked minutes. After a tough run of form, it is great to see Ben making a match-changing contribution on a bowler’s day. Ben partnered well with Matt Skeemer for 45 for the 4th wicket before Luke Medlock (3-32) took his wicket. That departure opened the doors for Paignton’s strike bowlers to attack in the final phase. Charlie Ward bettered Cornwood’s lower order with 4-21. The Ones’ innings closed on 177 but Paignton had failed to hunt down a smaller target the week before.
Early wickets were the order from the bar and Elliott Staddon obliged. He dismissed three of Paignton’s top four getting the ball to move for an LBW decision and two edges. Elliott’s figures of 7-1-19-3 put him fourth in the division for wicket taking. His season’s tally of 17 wickets have come at an average of 13.29 and a strike rate of a wicket every three overs. With Matt Skeemer also chipping in with an LBW, Paignton were reduced to 40-4 in 11.3 overs and needed a counter attack from Gqamana. He moved fast to 32 from 27, but Jack Ormsby lured him forward and Samarpit Joshi provided the stumping. Like last week at Sidmouth, the Ones bowled Paignton for 122 as the game was turned over to the spin threat of Jack Ormsby (6-1-13-2) and Lee Baker (8-1-22-3). Lee needs one more wicket for 20 league wickets in the first half of the season at an average of 11.26. The Ones won by 55 runs. Four of the team’s seven DCL wins against Paignton have been achieved defending a total of 200 or less.
The Ones have won their last three completed matches and have a working gameplan. Batting first, the focus is on setting a platform, targeting a par score, and trusting the bowlers. The team’s bowling average is currently 19.97 and only Bradninch & Kentisbeare have a lower team average at 16.55. Bradninch & Kentisbeare are now 22 points clear at the top of the Premier Division after a comfortable chase at Exmouth. There was movement at the bottom of the table as Heathcoat chased down Exeter and Sandford leapfrogged Sidmouth out of the relegation zone. It was also Plymouth’s turn to beat North Devon, whose team bowling average is 47.03.
In Midweek, Oak Park nerves were jittery in a tight T20 cup quarter final derby with Tavistock. Tavistock batted first and posted 121-7. There were 2 wickets for Elliott Staddon and an economy rate of 3.25 across 4 overs for Matt Skeemer. The chase proved difficult despite a handy 32 from 18 from Chris Parker up top. Again, it was captain Staddon (23* from 22) who carried the side home from 94-7 to 124-8 with three balls remaining. The Ones reach finals day along with Bridestowe & Belstone, Sidmouth and one of Exmouth and Paignton.
The cows were competing with the slip cordons and the shotguns echoed like cover drives at a humid Oak Park as the Twos welcomed Ashburton in a top of the table C Division West match-up. With the visitors electing to bat, the Twos had to endure the worst of the heat in the field. They found the going heavy at first as veteran Steve Edmonds (55 from 83) and George Yabsley put on 74 for the second wicket. The Two’s seamers were mostly economical but couldn’t crack through the Ashburton batters. It was an afternoon for spin with both Jason Hall (9-2-42-5) and Jacob Caunter (9-0-43-3) dominating. Hall took two in two balls to remove Yabsley and captain Lloyd White, while Caunter bowled Edmonds and the dangerous Aditya More. At 123-5, Ashburton did not go away and Ashley Berry (54 from 54) and Matt Churchill put on 57 for the 6th wicket. Ashburton’s progress was abruptly halted by an exceptional triple wicket maiden from Jason Hall that enabled Cornwood to bowl the visitors out for 211, a chasable total that could have easily been 30-50 more.
After an explosive 74 run partnership between Charlie Finan (44) and Robin Dart (30) in the first 11.2 overs, it was a team effort to get the run chase completed. Craig Harris and Stanley Baker both showed patience in dealing with Ashburton’s spin trio. Aditya More took 9-0-24-3, but the Twos used to have a tendency to collapse in these situations. Jason Hall held steady with 33 in 47 balls as Ashburton’s key spinner Chris Yeo returned wicketless from Oak Park for the first time in eight visits. The teams were uncannily close in the over by over comparison throughout the innings, but Cornwood kept ahead by holding wickets to spare. They got home with three wickets and an over to spare. Ashburton are one of the better sides in the division and they brought their best game. The way the Twos handled that is evidence of why they deserve to be 15 points clear of the C Division West pack.
Over at Delamore Park, a very strong Threes side dealt handsomely with a rowdy Stokeinteignhead team, winning by 111 runs. Put into bat, there were runs at the top of the innings for Noah Carlisle (37 from 33). Noah’s dismissal caused a mid-innings wobble as Jamie Clinkett worked to figures of 5-26. Josh Goodliffe led a successful counterattack with 47 from 46 as the Threes ended on 210.
Stokeinteignhead’s innings started in the best way possible for the Threes as a second ball sniper throw from Josh Whiting ran out Oliver Hastie. That is the second time this season Hastie has been run out without facing a ball. Rejeeshmon Vasan (32) was the only visitor to post a score as the Three’s bowlers cleaned up. Alex Robinson lead with a tidy 5.5-1-10-4 while Mike Hodge took 9-0-46-3. That win put the Threes E Division West contention as one of a top three within 3 points of each other.
The Fours rounded off the first Saturday clean sweep of the season with a win at Whitchurch Wayfarers 2XI. That win was indebted to a powerful 78* from Josh Wood as the middle order struggled to deal with Mark Hawkins’ spin (4-33). Wood’s effort meant that the Fours posted a total of 182. Sam Cumberland was able to get the ball moving with three LBWs in figures of 8-1-25-4. Dave Stubbs took a brace on his Cornwood league debut and Josh Wood finished what he started with a run out and a bowled. The Wayfarers reached 117 all out and the Fours won by 65 runs. That win lifts the Fours to seventh in G Division West, 12 points clear of the dropzone.
On Sunday, the Women’s Firsts travelled to Mountwise for a DWCL clash against a very strong Plymouth side. Winning the toss and electing to field, Cornwood’s bowlers had no answers for the host’s top four batters. Claire Varcoe made a massive 92* from 69 balls, but there were also impressive scores for Beth Hall (57), Iona Pennington (47) and Melissa Banks (47 from 31). Shini Al Khalid took two wickets, but you have to go back to 2019 for a day when the Women’s First’s bowlers were under more pressure. Plymouth had killed the game by half time with a score of 274-4 in 35 overs. Shini brought defiance and defence with 22 from 86 balls before she was run out by Melissa Banks. Banks also took 4-7 to complete a highly lopsided 201 run victory for Plymouth.
At Oak Park, the Threes T20 team put in a substantial performance to win their Tidball Cup game against PCS&R 2XI. Bowling first, Charlies Martyn and Cawardine were solid up front, before the experience of Andy Bees (3-13), Mike Hodge (2-14) and Adam Whiting (2-3) limited the visitors to 124. Ewan Grewal set up a comfortable chase with 37 from 21 before it was party time with Mike Hodge hitting 36* from 15 for a 7 wicket win with 40 balls spare.
Earlier in the week, PCS&R 2XI also lost as the P&D side won their first league game of the year. Toby Nix, Dave Stubbs and Mike Hodge took two wickets as PCS&R scored 144-7. Charlie Farmer top scored with 48 as the P&D side got home with 3 wickets and 22 balls in reserve.
A young Fives side had a friendly battle at Delamore Park against the Madri Boys, a classic case of a drinking side with a cricket habit. The Cornwood boys did well to limit their visitors to 166-7 in 30 overs and pushed to get just 12 runs short of an unlikely win. Eoin Hewitt was the top performer as he celebrated his first ever 50*, achieved in 74 balls with 7 fours. There was also 28 for Edmund Goodwin while Ollie Offer took 2-14 and scored 27. Seb Clewer also deserves credit for an economic opening spell.
The Cornwood Delamores softball team scored an impressive win against an established Buckland Monachorum Moorland Maidens side. Playing pairs rules, the Maidens scored 2 more runs but the Delamores ran out winners by taking 5 more wickets. Lily Whaley-Sweet was pick of the bowlers with 2-10 with no extras. Sarah Puleston was top batter with a net score of 11. That win not only gets the Delamores off the mark for the season, but also helps the Oaks to consolidate their Tamar Division lead after 3 matches.
In the Colts, the Under 15s beat PCS&R with 50s for Ayaan and Charlie. The Under 13s Tier 2 team were able to score a high scoring 3 run win over Plymouth with 41 from 22 for Noah, 35 for Marriott and 28 and 3-16 for Rehaan. The Tier One side set a decent total against Paignton including 38 from Harvey, but couldn’t hold on in a 4 wicket loss.
Next week, The Women’s Firsts host Bridgewater at home in their T20 cup match on Thursday. On Saturday, the Ones are at home to Heathcoat, the Twos head to Teignmouth and Shaldon, the Threes are off to Whitchurch and the Fours are at Home to Yelverton Bohemians. Sunday is packed with the Women’s Firsts facing another stiff test against Exeter and the Fives in SDCL action against Ashburton.
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