Cricket- County Division Five (East)

Ladock v Saltash

Saltash saw off promotion rivals Ladock in convincing fashion and kept their title hopes alive with a seven wicket victory. On an overcast and humid day, Ladock took first knock on a lively strip and the pacy Paul Marshall claimed both openers Cocking and Lovell. None of the top order looked comfortable facing Marshall who, time and again, beat the bat with no further reward.

Due to an ankle injury to Richard Durndell, unable to bowl, Marshall and Braund had to bowl their 16 overs straight through, whilst Carpenter bowled eight overs at both ends at the beginning and end. He too found the pitch to his liking and proved a handful, particularly in his second spell, whilst Braund claimed the important, wicket of Johnson, caught at deep mid-off by Sean Gale. Atkinson did provide some lusty blows before being brilliantly run out by Durndell but the Ladock total of 148 for seven was never really going to severely test a strong Saltash batting line-up.

Ladock did manage to dismiss prolific run scorer Durndell for 19 and Gale soon followed edging an attempted an off drive to Bray at backward point but Ron Skinner and Ian Stevenson dug in to see off opening bowlers Bray and Stevens who both gave little away. The pair added 49 before Skinner top edged to the keeper off Hooper.

Ladock sensed an opportunity to apply the pressure, but Paul Marshall proved with a dangerous batsman he can be as he hit Hooper for two sixes in the same over and despite a number of bowling changes to try and force another breakthrough, it did not come, as Stevenson's rock solid defence and Marshall's powerful hitting saw Saltash home with five overs to spare.

Scores - Ladock 148-7 (G Cocking 18; D Johnson 25; A Wakely 12; G Atkinson 40; Extras 28; Bowling - P Marshall 2-30; N Carpenter 2-36; R Braund 2-65). Saltash 149-3 (R Durndell 19; S Gale 12; I Stevenson 40; R Skinner 13; P Marshall 43; Extras 22; Bowling - T Stephens 1-27; L Bray 1-34; R Hooper 1-25).

Saltash (18) bt Ladock (four) by seven wkts