CORNWOOD 1st XI have some catching up to do in the Premier Division title race after Bradninch & Kentisbeare sent them spinning to a 43-run defeat.

It was the Wood’s third successive defeat and dropped them down to third from bottom in the latest table.

Four games into the season there is a 39-point gap between Cornwood and defending champions Bradninch & Kentisbeare, who have a 100 percent record at the top.

Mitch Pugh top scored for Bradninch & Kentisbeare with 90 in their 49-over total of 290 for seven.

Pugh and skipper Gary Chappell (55) took B&K from 54 for one to 141 for two during a stand of 87 for the second wicket. Jon Trinner (46) and Josh Farley (22) topped up the tally in the later overs.

Cornwood seamer Matt Skeemer (0-24) kept the runs down for 10 overs. Jack Ormsby (0-26 off 8) was not far behind. Lee Baker (2-48) and Elliott Staddon (4-84) were the main wicket takers.

A one-over break for rain meant recourse to the Duckworth-Lewis System, which set Cornwood 292 to win. Eight overs out it looked like they were going to get them.

Samarpit Joshi – Sammy to his team-mates – was on 154 not out. Stands of 75 with Ryan Rickard (32) and 102 with George Thompson, who only made six of them, had taken Cornwood to 242 for six. Then Joshi got out.

Malusi Siboto (3-48) had Joshi caught by Chappell as short third man, which prompted a massive collapse. Cornwood lost their last four wickets for just six runs on the way to 248 all out.

Chappell (3-41) picked up two of the Cornwood wickets that tumbled.

It was the Wood’s third successive defeat and dropped them down to third from bottom in the latest table.

Four games into the season there is a 39-point gap between Cornwood and defending champions Bradninch & Kentisbeare, who have a 100 per cent record at the top.

Staddon said despite the outcome, there were positives to take away.

“Samarpit showed what an unbelievable player he is with some unbelievable shots,” said Staddon.

“Keep him in form, and a few of us start to get it going, the wins will come.”

MEANWHILE, Cornwood 2nd XI made it four out of four – and not a dropped point to be seen – with an eight-wicket win that preserved their 100 percent record at the top of the C Division West.

Chudleigh were missing players in key places, which meant drafting in 65-year-old second-teamer Roger Wensley as an opening batter.

Will Heather (40) and Rob Clarke (26) were the only top six batters to make much progress in a running total of 94 for seven. Yogi Yogesh made a steady 29 that took the final total to 154 all out.

Spin bowling proved profitable for the Wood with two wickets each for Jason Hall (2-15) and the Caunter brothers: Jacob (2-32) and Josiah (2-44). Seamer Will Sharp had two for 23. James Richardson was the other wicket-taker. He also scored a direct hit on Wensley’s protective headgear.

Cornwood lost wickets at 39 and 97 on the way to victory. Surviving opener Charles Finan (80) and Stanley Baker (25) were the not-out batters when the winning post was passed.