DORSET’S hopes of handing back the South West wooden spoon were dashed by a comprehensive defeat and a Cornwall victory at a rainswept Saunton yesterday.

Captain Giles Legg’s team were trounced 12½ to 1½ by Gloucestershire, while Cornwall overtook them in the final league standings with a 7½ to 6½ win over hosts Devon.

After Dorset succumbed to an 8-0 whitewash in the morning singles, their only hope of not finishing last, for a second successive year, was a Devon victory.

But their prospects looked as gloomy as the lunchtime weather, as Cornwall returned to the clubhouse with a 4½ to 3½ lead.

And Dorset’s fears were soon confirmed as Cornwall quickly wrapped up the result they needed by winning the first two foursomes in the afternoon.

Dorset’s only crumbs of comfort were an afternoon win for the county’s man-of-the-tournament Daniel Bishop and Weymouth’s young gun Robert Mabb who won their foursomes match 5 and 3.

Other result: Somerset 8.75 Wiltshire 6.25.

Final standings: 1 Wiltshire 40.25 pts, 2 Somerset 40, 3 Gloucestershire 39.5, Devon 34, Cornwall 31.5, Dorset 24.75.

• Full report and reaction in Wednesday’s Daily Echo