Cricket- County Division Three (East)

Menheniot v Callington

Menheniot batted first against local rivals Callington on Saturday in this match which was, for the most part, dominated by the bowlers from both sides.

Indeed, it was Mark James for the visitors who made the first impression on proceedings when he produced an in-swinging yorker to send John Massey back to the pavilion for a duck in the third over. To prove that this was no fluke, he produced exactly the same delivery three balls later to get rid of danger man Simon Hunt, also for a duck.

At this point, captain Phil Adsett and stalwart John Carpenter dug in against the visitors attack to take the score to 68 in the 26th over. By this time, Ian Hunn and John Nicholls were bowling for the visitors and were proving very difficult to score from. Having played with watchful caution for 18, Carpenter then produced a farm yard special to a straight one from cautious vane for another score of 18 before being given out lbw to Hunn and when Adsett fell in the same way for 22, an undefendable score seemed to be the only outcome.

Andy Taylor then scored 20 to add what became crucial runs at the end of the innings and with Paul Glover hitting the last ball over mid-wicket for four. Menheniot eventually reached 132-9 after 48 overs. All Callington's bowlers performed well, with Hunn taking 4-28, James 3-26 and Nicholls 2-40.

Trevor Collins and Andy Shorten opening the batting for the visitors knew that the target was within reach with sensible application. Collins in particular looked solid, waiting patiently for the right ball to hit. However, the Menheniot side were determined to make Callington fight all the way and in the shape of quickie Ed Gard found the man who was going to make them do it.

In his second over he surprised Shorten with a delivery dug in short which the batsmen could only lob back at him. From this point on, Gard literally bowled himself into the ground accounting for the middle order of Callington with fire and pace on a wicket that offered little in terms of speed and bounce. Gard clean bowled Legg, Evely and Wyatt whilst having Voyzey playing on. It was not until Hunn joined Collins at the wicket that the visitors looked as if they could get back into the match. He took a leaf out of Collins' book and played with watchful restraint, waiting for the right one to score off. Adsett had bowled with control, giving nothing away, but at this point deciding he needed wickets he turned to Hunt and Ian Goldsmith to get them. Hunt, probably still smarting from his failure with the bat, took up where Gard had left off, bowling with fire and purpose. It was he who eventually tempted Collins to give a catch to Steve Green in the covers for a well-made 34 which probably turned the match in Menheniot's favour. Goldsmith, who was not at his best, kept going to take the wicket off Hunn for a gritty 28, and then finally bowled James to leave Callington 120 all out, 13 runs short of their target.

Like their counterparts, all the Menheniot bowlers stuck to their task well, but it was the outstanding bowling of Gard with 5-29, which in the final analysis went a long way in turning this match in the home sides favour, but right to the end, it could have gone either way.

Scorecard

Menheniot

P Adsett lbw B Hunn 22

J Massey b James 0

S Hunt b James 0

J carpenter b Hunn 18

M Rigler LBW b Nicholls 18

I Goldsmith LBW b Hunn 0

S Green b Nicholls 0

E Gard b Hunn 10

A Taylor LBW b James 20

P Glover not out 4

Extras 41

Ttl - 132-9

Bowling - M James 12-4-26-3; I Birch 8-1-21-0; J Nicholls 16-4-40-2; I Hunn 12-4-28-4.

Callington

A Shorten c and b Gard 5

T Collins c Green b Hunt 34

R Legg b Gard 2

V Voysey b Gard 9

G Evely b Gard 2

S Wyatt b Gard 0

S Blatchford LBW b Adsett 6

I Hunn LBW b Goldsmith 28

J Nicholls b Hunt 3

M James b Goldsmith 4

I Birch not out 0

Extras 27

Ttl 120

Bowling - E Gard 16-1-29-5; I Goldsmith 13-1-47-2; P Adsett 10-1-21-1; S Hunt 7-2-14-2.

Menheniot (18 pts) beat Callington (seven) by 12 runs.