CRICKETERS from three local teams gathered on Walkhampton Memorial Field to play one last match at the season?s close. Playing in aid of the Children?s Hospice South West? the game saw a combined team from Devon Tors and Walkham Valley take on the might of Mainstone. Peter Gibson, captain, was obliged to bat first on a wet wicket that quickly showed its spite with Eels caught off the bowling of Robbie for a duck. Mike Keirney, batting at three, gelled well with opener Roger Smith and the pair put runs on the board. Keirney was bowled by Ben for 17 having hit three fours, the fall bringing in Peter Gibson who fell off his second ball from Keith. In at four, Sandy Ralph went on to score an unbeaten 25. Smith was out for 18 off the bowling of Steve C, heralding two quick wickets off the bowling of Chris S. Cunningham went for one, clean bowled, then Moule also for one, again bowled. Patrick Gibson stayed around for ten valuable runs, while Kevin Curry added a boundary before following his predecessor. In at ten, McDermott managed to run four quick singles. In the meantime, having scored his 25, Ralph retired to be replaced by number 11 Ward. First McDermott faced the fierce deliveries of Chris S and a ball caught him in such a way that he could not help falling down, in the process hitting his wicket. Ralph returned for a couple of balls before calling Ward on for a bye that saw the tail-ender run out from a direct hit by the wicket keeper. It was a sorry end to an inadequate innings of just 95 runs. Mainstone decided to attack the bowling of Ward, openers Les, and Steve S scoring 13 off the second over of the innings with a six and a four. Unfortunately, Steve S thought to continue hitting out in Gibson?s second over and fell, bowled for a single. Robbie, batting at three, proved a steady partner for Les, but was bowled by Keirney for 13, while Robbie was bowled by Patrick Gibson for nine. Batting at four, Steve C proved a more formidable obstacle, while John A, at five, fell victim to a skidding delivery from Curry, and dragged his bat back to the boundary having scored just one. That brought in Trevor at six who, together with Steve C, put together the decisive partnership. Recognising that a steady flow of runs was just as valuable as a flurry, Trevor knocked off just three fours out of a total of 24. Steve C was bowled by a delivery from Moule and Trevor fell to Roger Smith. In an exciting and unpredictable closing stretch, Smith snagged two more wickets, Chris Byrnes, caught by Peter Gibson for 3 and Chris Tun, caught by a diving Ralph for nought. With Chris B managing eight runs, but caught and bowled by Keirney, this left the final partnership to knock the required runs. In the next over Ben, having batted with care, hammered the ball to the leg side boundary, scoring more than was required to win the match. Mainstone might have been the worthy winners, but the real achiever was the Children?s Hospice Southwest which benefited to the tune of £220.