Cricket- County Division Eight (East)

Looe v Lanhydrock

Come Saturday afternoon, Looe's Killigarth ground was experiencing some of the finest weather of the season , and with a quick outfield and a hard wicket, the conditions looked favourable for a side choosing to bat.

With the toss taken, it was decided that the home team would not be able to adopt this tactic and was promptly sent out to contend with the overwhelming industrial-like heat.

Lanyhdrock's innings started in valiant style with their total advancing to 35 before an Ashton hiock was caught in an extraordinary one-handed 'Go Go Gadget' style attempt by Keith Levitt, running around from long on.

After thismuch-celebrated wicket, Lanhydrock did not seem troubled, as the Looe attack found it at times difficult to harness the plentiful swing being achieved. The runs flowed consistently, with few chances falling to the Looe fielders. Some smart running and a few risky calls put pressure on the Looe squad and some poor fielding allowed the Lanhydrock total to cascade onto 75 before the next crucial wicket fell in the 22nd over, seeing Blake dismissed for 29.

Bowling changes inspired the Looe field and with wickets falling at regular intervals, Lanhydrock finished on 190 for five. S Carter looked the pick of Lanhydrock batsmen and was out for respectable 53. Sharpe finished on figures of 2-14. Mr Extras had scored 43, proving the difficulty of bowling in the severe heat. After tea, the Looe opening batsmen, Pryce-Hughes and R Carter started off in dynamic fashion, tearing apart the bowling attack. By the 12th over, they had knocked up 50, punishing anything wide, leaving Lanhydrock in no doubt as to their intentions.

Both Pryce-Hughes and Carter were now in their element, and despite some desperate bowling changes, Lanhydrock's chance of a victory here was now looking unlikely. The run rate was always up, with some clever running between the wickets and not to mention a multitude of boundaries. The innings only lasted until the 33rd over. It was a well-sculpted presentation of fine batting pedigree, seeing Carter (69) continuing a recent run of form and Pryce-Hughes (87), deserving every one of his 14 boundaries. With Looe completing their seventh win of the season, they are reeking of distilled confidence, and even with the absence of their paceman Joyce, Looe have once again stamped their authority at the top of division eight (east), and are looking good for the title.