Budleigh suffered their first defeat of the Tolchards Devon League A Division season when beaten by visiting Cornwood by a margin of six wickets.

It was left armer Craig James who did the damage as he claimed seven wickets for just 26 runs and, five games into the season, James already has 20 wickets to his name!

After losing the toss and having his team put in, Budleigh skipper Lloyd Murrin would not have expected top be going out to bat himself from the number eight berth after just over an hours play! However, that is precisely what happened as James went to work, claiming all but three of the home wickets to fall. He did not get the first though as fellow opening seamer Matt Skeemer removed Marc Trotman with the Ottermouth board yet to register a single run.

James Doble was then bowled by James for seven and the left-armer removed both Tarisai Musakanda and Muhammad Sarfraz to leave Budleigh 36-4. Opener Ed Doble was still there and he and Tom Oxland took the score to 60 before Oxland was stumped for six. No runs were added as Donovan Robinson was run out without troubling the scorers and seven runs later Doble became the seventh home wicket to fall, a fourth wicket for James having been at the wicket for 64 balls, scoring 26.

James then cleaned up the tail to leave Budleigh bowled out for 76 from just 23.5 overs.

The Cornwood reply got off to steady start and reached 26 before Budleigh made a breakthrough with Lloyd Murrin holding a catch to give Ed Doble a wicket and, a glimmer of hope for the Ottermouth faithful came with two more wickets being taken while just one run was added to the score as a Musakanda throw was followed by him getting a leg before decision to leave Cornwood on 27-3.

However, with a low target to reach, the visitors lost just one more wicket as they wrapped up a six wicket success, closing on 78-4 with two balls left of the 27th over. Ed Doble returned the most impressive Budleigh bowling figures with 1-16 from 10 overs.

With all the top four meeting each other and Bradninch easing to victory at Hatherleigh it means that Cornwood hold top spot in the A Division with 92 points. Bradninch sit second with 83, a point behind are Hatherleigh and a point behind them are Budleigh.

Next up for the Ottermouth men, a Saturday (June 8) visit to basement side Ivybridge who have lost all five or their games so far this league season.