CORNWOOD slumped to a third Premier Division defeat in a row when they were turned over by four wickets at Exmouth.

Defeats by Bradninch & Kentisbeare, Sidmouth and now Exmouth have turned the Wood from a top three side into a mid-table one.

Two of those losses came after being bowled out for less than a hundred, which is almost always a recipe for disaster in the top-flight.

The bright spot for Cornwood captain Elliott Staddon is how hard his bowlers made it for Exmouth to knock-off 80 to win on the Maer Ground.

Spinner Lee Baker added three more wickets to his tally for the season, taking him to 34 at few than 12 runs each. Only Paignton professional Aya Gqamana (47) and Exmouth’s Devon paceman George Greenway (35) have taken more.

Charlie Finan (29) and Samarpit Joshi (33) made the only double-digit scores in Cornwood’s total of 79 all out. Five batters did not manage a run between them!

Cornwood’s last five wickets tumbled for just six runs as Ben Higton (3-24) largely finished what Greenway (3-18) had started.

Exmouth made a woeful start of their own – openers James Horler and Louis Morison came and went for ducks – and were 11 for three when Matt Skeemer (2-26) ‘poled’ Dan Pyle.

Cam Kidd (25) and Fin Marks (27) put on 45, which left Greenway (9no) and former Devon captain Bob Dawson (11no) to tie-up the loose ends.

Said Staddon: “It has been a similar story to the last few weeks, with us just not getting the scores and letting ourselves down with the bat.

“Hoping to find a bit more application over the next few weeks and end the last three weeks on a high.”

CORNWOOD will be without Indian overseas player Samarpit Joshi for the last three games as he has returned home early.

CORNWOOD 2nd XI did not hang around cruising to a six-wicket win over South Devon that keeps them out in front in the C Division West.

South Devon were bowled out for 94 – Jason Hall finishing them off with four for 14 – which Cornwood knocked-off in fewer than 20 overs.

It has been a two-horse race for some time between Cornwood (260pts) and Ashburton (256) for the single promotion place out of the division. The two sides meet on Saturday week in what looks like a winner-takes-all encounter.

The run chase was largely a formality once Cornwood had seen off South Devon’s respected new-ball pairing of Jonny Martin and Mali Marshall.

After Noah Carlisle was third out on 70, Matt Butterworth (11no) and captain Robin Dart (14no) joined-up the dots.

CORNWOOD 3rd XI defeated arch rivals Plympton 2nd XI by three wickets in a low-scoring derby date.

Jack Sellick (31) made a top score of 31 for Plympton in their tally of 105 all out. He was ninth to go with the score on 87.

Mike Hodge topped Cornwood’s bowling stats with a return of five for 42.

Cornwood did not have it all their own way on the chase and dipped from 69 for three to 92 for six with Tom West out for 29. Adam Sellick (3-19) was largely responsible for the Wood stumbling.