Cricket- County Division Six East

Menheniot II v St Blazey II

With both teams in the relegation zone it was the expected tight game. St Blazey won the toss and batted first. St Blazey's opening pairing played a sensible game, facing the experienced bowling attack of John Randle and Graham Fagg in what was his final match for Menheniot.

The batsmen began well, and steadily built up a first wicket partnership of 59 before Randle bowled Harrison for 28. The visiting captain, Downard, soon followed with hard-hit 44. If Menheniot had any thoughts of an early break-through, Turner and Taylor put paid to that by scoring a 96-run partnership to leave St Blazey on 151-3 from 41 overs. Their remaining batsmen took the final total to 232-7, with Randle bowling well but without much luck, finishing with 1-34 off 16 overs, four of them maidens. After last week's excellent bowling, Keith Goldsmith came back to earth with a bump.

Menheniot's opening batsmen, Dave Wiltshire and skipper Bill McLoughlin, started off with a determined attitude, confident they would not lose. They did this quite successfully until the former was caught behind for 22. Wiltshire also saved the umpire a decision by 'walking', which in this day and age is refreshing to see. Although Menheniot didn't lose any more wickets until the 26th over, only 14 runs were scored in the next seven. McLoughlin saw wickets tumbling at the other end with only Dave Simpson making double figures.

The skipper was eventually out for 84, playing a very tired shot, his innings including 15 fours. The home club reached 182-9 before stumps were drawn with St Blazey winning by 50 runs. Throughout the first 36 overs, Menheniot were scoring at the same rate as St Blazey but it was the fall of wickets that saw the home side defeated when had they kept their wickets it might have proved a different result.

Scores - St Blazey 232-7 (S Downard 44, G Turner 50, S Taylor 54, A Harrison 28, Randle 1-34, Fagg 2-85, K Goldsmith 1-60, M Strand 2-22, W McLoughlin 1-15). Menheniot 182-9 (D Wiltshire 22, W McLoughlin 84, D Simpson 14, I Chambers 5-59, S Downard 2-25).

St Blazey (19 pts) beat Menheniot (seven) by 50 runs.