Cricket- County Division Five (East)

Boconnoc v Saltash

Saltash completed a comfortable win over relegation-haunted Boconnoc at the picturesque Deer Park ground. Ross Braund and Richard Durndell got Saltash off to a steady start despite some accurate bowling from Mike Farey and Brendon Moore on a wicket still damp from overnight rain.

Having done his job, Braund made way for the stroke-makers when he was bowled by Moore for 21. All-rounder Paul Terry, making one of his rare appearances as a replacement for the absent Paul Marshall, played one classy-looking shot past gulley before playing on, Moore again the bowler. Ian Stevenson joined Durndell, determined to make a good score in his 150th inning for the club and the pair put together a substantial partnership as has been the pattern for much of the season.

They added 91 before Durndell top-edged an attempted pull to square-leg having completed his almost customary 50. Stevenson meanwhile was in full flow, peppring the off-side in particular with some powerful drives. The re-introduction of paceman Moore only had the effect of increasing the run rate as Stevenson dispatched him for sixes in consecutive overs and with the help of Martin, Skinner and Carpenter ensured Saltash gained maximum batting points.

Boconnoc's reply had the worst possible start when both openers, Clemmens and skipper Hemmings, went for ducks, both wickets claimed by Terry who was keen to make up for his failure with the bat. Sleep and Trankle managed to get the score up to 48 before Trankle edged another Terry delivery to Durndell and Lee was on his way back to the pavilion two balls later, snapped up at gulley by the safe hands of Mark Keen.

A combination of good fielding from Braund and Stevenson saw Richards run out and it took some lusty bowls from Moore to give the Boconnoc score some respectability. When Sleep was bowled by Durndell for a patient 33, the game was virtually up for the home side and Braund mopped up the tail to good effect, reaching 40 wickets for the season so far in the process.

Scores - Saltash 201-5 (R Braund 21, R Durndell 57, I Stevenson 70, M Martin 13, N Carpenter 10, Extras 17, B Moore 2-68, D Lee 2-25, M Richards 1-29). Boconnoc 130 (J Sleep 33, J Trankle 19, B Moore 26, M Farey 14, T Rowe 10, Extras 23, P Terry 4-49, R Durndell 1-26, R Braund 4-16.

Saltash (20 pts) beat Boconnoc (five) by 71 runs.