E DIVISION WEST

CORNWOOD 3rd XI had bowler Andy Bees to thank for putting them into a potentially winning position against Tavistock 2nd XI … twice over.

Bees has taken 300-plus league and cup wickets for Cornwood in a career spanning more than two decades, but has only passed 50 with the bat once during the same period.

Bees didn’t quite get to a half-century against Tavistock, but his gritty 48 not out batting at number nine was a game-changer in this E Division West clash.

The Wood were a wobbly 83 for seven when Bees went out to join Ayaan Chatterjee in the middle. Brett Thomas (5-18) had done most of the damage with the ball.

With Chatterjee (14) and then Dan Skeemer (18no) at the other end, Bees steered Cornwood to a defendable total of 170 for eight.

Bees was re-armed with the new ball after the tea interval and promptly destroyed Tavistock’s top order as they slumped to 17 for three.

There is almost always a fightback in these situations and it was provided by Tony Bicknell (34) and Marc Webber (31), aided and abetted by Steve Luffman.

Bees, back for a second spell, sent back Bicknell and Webber to send Tavvy into a terminal spin.

Tavistock’s last five wickets tumbled for just two runs scored as Bees (5-14) and Josh Cumberland (4-16) finished them off with the minimum of fuss.

The game between Whitchurch 1st XI and Plympton 2nd XI was cancelled due to a waterlogged surface.

A DIVISION

TAVISTOCK 1st meanwhile remain top of the A Division table despite their game against Thorverton not lasting long enough to determine a result.

Hatherleigh 1st XI, who were second, saw their derby date Bridestowe & Belstone completely washed out and actually lost ground on Tavistock.

Bovey Tracey’s nine-wicket win at Barton moved them up to second, but Tavvy enjoy a 22-point lead over them.

Thorverton batted first in a game reduced to 30 overs a side and made their way to 125 for nine.

Dan Robbins top scored with 28, George Daldorph made 21 and best of the rest with 16 was 2nd XI captain Ben Coe.

Billy Barriball (3-18) and Shaun Daymond (2-14) were Tavistock’s most effective bowlers.

Tavistock got as far as 26 without loss in the tenth over when rain brought a terminal end to the game.

D DIVISION WEST

HATHERLEIGH 2nd XI ultimately overwhelmed Babbacombe by 138 runs in the top-against-bottom clash in the D Division West.

It seemed a shock could be on the cards when Hatherleigh were wobbling at 84 for six with Greg Solkin (27) and Niall Leahy (22) posting the only scores of note.

Skipper Danny Forrester (67) and Luke Westacott (38) put on 68 for the seventh wicket towards a final total of 198 all out.

Best of the bowling by Babbacombe came from Brian Gomes (2-16) and Ben Passmore (2-23).

Babbacombe’s batting collapsed in a heap from 43 for three to 54 for five then 59 for six, seven, eight and nine en route to 60 all out. Aidan Lightowlers’ 24 was as good as it got. Five batters did not manage a run between them.

Charlie Bingham (4-28) softened them up; Westacott (3-0) took three wickets in five balls and Will Edwards (2-1) performed the last rites.