WHITCHURCH Wayfarers 1st XI played promotion-chasing Cornwood 3rd XI at home in humid conditions. Cornwood won the toss and unsurprisingly chose to bowl in seamer-friendly conditions.

It was a slow start by the Whitchurch openers, as they doggedly saw off a pacey, accurate opening spell by Cumberland (0-9) and Skeemer (1-42), reaching drinks on 34- 0 after 15.

Straight after drinks, Potts lost his wicket. Hall and Freedman upped the pace and a fine 60 by Hall brought a 65-run partnership. Freedman continued stroke-playing until he was out caught for 47.

Cameos by Barriball 16 and a confident 25 by Mackenzie took the total past 200, reaching 204 all out. Hodge 4-36 and Bees 3-42 being the pick of a fine bowling display by Cornwood.

Cornwood responded at a good rate, Horner (32), Thomas (31 reaching 50-1 before the Whitchurch bowlers started to tighten the line and restrict the run rate. Wickets began to fall at regular periods with only Hodge (35) showing any resistance.

Sambells wrapped up the tail with some deceiving slower balls ending with 4-49, ably backed up by Vernon 3-17, Prout 2-32. Cornwood bowled out for 147.

Whitchurch won by 57 runs, picked up 20 points and moved away from the E Division West relegation zone. They are in seventh, tied on 100 points with eighth-placed Paignton 3rd XI.

Cornwood meanwhile are second and have lost ground on leaders Abbots 2nd XI.

Elsewhere, Whitchurch Wayfarers 2nd XI started the weekend with hopes of a morale-lifting win at strugglers South Brent.

Losing the toss proved to be decisive. Unsurprisingly, South Brent opted to field. The green pitch soon demonstrated its demons with the ball moving erratically.

Havard bowled his allotted eight without break, conceding just eight runs. Lewis (1-16) was equally parsimonious.

After 15 overs of attritional cricket, Whitchurch had managed to eke out 32 runs for the loss of 1 wicket. Woodcock (29) finally managed to get some purchase hitting several fine shots before becoming Bryant’s second wicket.

Drinks followed shortly after with Whitchurch struggling on 46-3.

Gibbs (20) was the pick from the second half. South Brent continued to make good use of the conditions as Whitchurch tried to pick up the pace. Using up all 40 overs was a good sign for the future even if a total of 107 seemed a little light.

The sun appeared before the tea interval and, helped by a gentle breeze, the pitch dried out rapidly.

Within a few deliveries of the second half, it was apparent that the earlier demons had gone. The batsmen could be confident of the bounce of the ball. Crooks (21) and Havard (43) knocked off 50 within the first 10 overs. Crooks was well caught by Harrison but that only brought in Lewis who fired off a rapid 38 taking South Brent to 107 and certain victory.

Whitchurch limped home with just three points for their efforts and find themselves propping up the G Division West table. They have two wins and six defeats to their name thus far, sitting on the coattails of Cornwood 4th XI, South Brent and Chagford 2nd XI, all of whom are 3-5.

It doesn’t get any easier for the Wayfarers as next Saturday, they face the prospect of league leaders Plymstock 3rd XI.