Cricket- County Division Three (East)

Fowey v St Austell

In their battle to avoid relegation, Fowey gained a much needed 13 runs victory and 19 points from their encounter with near neighbours St. Austell IIs. Batting first, the home side started brightly with 21 on the board after four overs, but the fall of three quick wickets for the addition of only one run left Fowey once again struggling at 22 for 3.

A quick 18 - three fours and a six - by Darren Kirwen, momentarily eased the situation for Fowey until he 'dollied' up a simple catch to the cover fielder. With half the side back in the pavilion within 14 overs, Robbie Bennetts was joined by wicket-keeper, Malcolm Roberts, and this pair consolidated the middle order through a combination of good defensive play and attacking stroke making, particularly by the former.

This crucial sixth wicket partnership was to put on 78 before Roberts (21) was dismissed in the 31st over with the score on 142. A further collapse followed with the loss of four wickets for nine runs including that of Robbie Bennetts for a well played innings of 57. However, a last wicket partnership between Mark Bennetts (24) and Dan Perowne was to produce 29 valuable runs before the innings closed at 180.

St. Austell's Kevin Martin returned the excellent figures of6 for 31 off 13 overs and that included 10 wides.

St. Austell, who must have been very confident of knocking off the necessary runs, made a disastrous start losing Richards and Nile in Tony Whyatt's first over. The same bowler then removed Stuart Wilder with the score on 34. Opener Steve Jarman together with Matthew Chadwick proceeded to put on a stand of 52 before Chadwick was bowled by Mick Meares on his return to the attack. Meares, in a couple of spells of tight, accurate bowling, then quickly removed two flirther batsmen including Jarman (38), who had earlier survived a confident caught behind appeal off the same bowler.

With the score at 104 for 7 and Fowey looking well in control, 'Man of the Match' Kevin Martin with some aggressive hitting was to show that the game was far from over. However, the return of and pace of teenager Jo Leach, who has bowled well during his first season in the 1st XI and been unfortunate not to pick up more wickets, was too much from the tail-end batsmen. With a couple of overs left, he finally forced Martin to drive the ball to Meares to end a fine knock of 53 and the game. Jo Leach finished with 3 for 25, Tony Whyatt 3 for 43 and Mick Meares 3 for 47, with all three producing excellent spells of bowling to contain the opposition on a good batting track.

Scorecard

Fowey

T Whyatt c Wilder b Johnson 10

M Hamilton b Martin 5

A Bennetts b Martin 0

D Kiewan c Trembath b Jarman 18

A Rogers lbw A Lund 8

R Bennetts C Wilder b Martin 57

M Roberts b Martin 21

M Bennetts B A Lund 24

M Meares b Martin 5

J Leach b Martin 0

D Perowne not out 4

Extras 27

Ttl 180

Bowling - K Johnson 4-0-32-1, A Lund 7.2-1-15-2, K Martin 13-2-31-6, I Trembath 9-1-39-0, S Jarman 9-0-43-1, C French 1-0-13-0.

St Austell

C Richards c Hamilton b Whyatt 3

S Jarman c Bennetts b Meares 38

M Nice b Whyatt 0

S Wilder b Whyatt 15

M Chadwick b Meares 2

C French b Meares 4

K Martin c Meares b Leach 53

A Lund b Bennetts 0

D Weekes b Leach 9

I Trembath b Leach 4

K Johnson not out 2

Extras 14

Ttl 167

Bowling - M Meares 15-3-47-3, T Wyatt 13--4-43-3, J Leach 9.3-3-25-3.

Fowey (19) bt St Austell (8) by 13 runs.