First success for Chudleigh

BOTTOM side Chudleigh won for the first time this season when they crept to a two-wicket win over Barton.

With Nigel Couzens taking five for 30, and two wickets each for Graeme Wilson and Rob Clarke, Chudleigh dismissed Barton for 111.

Barton were looking solid at 72 for two after Sean Adderley (31) and Jack Porter (23) made runs, then collapsed to 79 for eight.

Knocking off the runs proved a trial for Chudleigh as Barton's Pakistani spin bowler Aqeel Ahmed tied them in knots on his way to taking seven for 34.

Chudleigh's running totals of 32 for three, 61 for five and 99 for six hardly inspired confidence in the home camp.

Slow but sure did the trick for Chudleigh with Jon Martin and Clarke getting there with 25 overs to go.

Not for the first time this season, Barton gave away too many extras (39) which cost them dearly in the final tottings up.

For Barton, who were unbeaten for three games, it was a reminder they are still closer to the bottom than the top of the table.

Chudleigh remain bottom, but Brixham are only a point ahead of them now following their seven-wicket mauling at Paignton.

Getting ahead of Paignton won't save Chudleigh, but getting ahead of South Devon will. The two sides meet on July 18 in what promises to be a no-holds-barred encounter.

● SOUTH Devon nosedived to their third defeat on the bounce when Cornwood administered a 79-run drubbing at Marsh Lane.

South Devon will no doubt still be kicking themselves for letting Cornwood wriggle off the hook after reducing them to 114 for eight.

Aizaz Cheema and Dave Petherbridge put on 68 to help the Corns muster a grand total of 202 all out.

South Devon slumped to 24 for four in reply, a situation from which there was no way back as they were bowled out for 123.

Victory lifts Cornwood into fourth spot while South Devon stay three off the bottom with an 18-point lead over Brixham, who they play this Saturday.

After Scott Mansfield (30) and Andy Goodliff (20) had been dispatched, Cornwood struggled against Chris Metters (3-41), Dave Knowles (3-59) and Vivek Kulkarni (2-28).

Petherbridge (31) and Cheema (45no) helped get a defendable total up on the board.

Cheema (4-33) had three of their first four wickets to fall as South Devon found the going hard.

Carl Huyser resisted for 26 and Kulkarni took the game to Cheema with a couple of lusty blows before being caught on the boundary for 14.

Skipper Knowles (37no) led the rearguard action with support from Adrian Hewings (17).

Three overs out, Knowles ran out of partners to bat with after Petherbridge (3-32) finished off the tail-enders.