Cricket- Cornwall Dvision Five (East)

Launceston v Saltash

Saltash travelled to Launceston on Sunday with a side weakened by unavailabilities and came up against a strong Launceston line-up, showing several chances from the team well beaten the previous day by Ladock. Phil Spry, making his first appearance in the second team this season, held the Launceston innings together and fell just three runs short of a century when Durndell's athletic caught and bowled him.

A quickfire 42 from Darren Hatch was the other main contributor as Launceston took advantage of a Saltash attack missing the pacy Marshall. Ross Braund claimed four wickets including that of the dangerous Sloman, whilst Carpenter was not at his best and proved expensive. Richard Durndell, as ever, proved the most economical and also produced a top class piece of fielding to run out Horrell.

Set the formidable target of 233 to win, Saltash got off to a steady start with Durndell and Gale putting on 66 for the first wicket before Gale was bowled by Horrell for 31. Ian Stevenson made his intentions clear as he smashed Hatch out of the attack with three successive boundaries, but the introduction of spinner Yelland put a brake on this scoring. The pair added 82 before Stevenson was bowled by a bowl that kept low from Harrison. With no Marshall to come in, the best Saltash could hope for was to claim maximum batting points and this they did as Durndell brought up the 200 shortly after completing his century, the first Saltash player to complete a hundred in an over five years in the first team.

So in the end Durndell's heroics were in vain but Saltash will know they were a bit unlucky to meet a strong Launceston team on a day when they themselves were without several regulars and will look to bounce back next weekend against struggling Newquay and Bude.

Scores - Launceston 232-9 (P Spry 97, D Sloman 12, D Hatch 42, K Kottell 10; Bowling - R Durndell 2-55, N Carpenter 1-78, R Brand 4-74.

Saltash 202-4 (R Durndell 110 n.o., S Gale 31, I Stevenson 33; Bowling - K Horrell 2-37.

Launceston (18) bt Saltash (9) by 30 runs.