Tamar League Cricket Inter-League Gunnislake v Calstock LOCAL rivalries were re-kindled for this inter-league fixture. Winning the toss Calstock skipper John Lambert elected to give his strong batting line-up first use of a wicket which had benefited from six drying days. The visitors? opening batsmen made slow progress thanks largely to the accurate medium pace of Aaron Pethick, (10-3-21-2) the youngster?s opening spell of five overs costing only four runs. With Gunnislake captain Matt Ricard (3.2-0-13-2) replacing Mike Hugo the batsmen looked to increase the scoring rate, but this soon brought the downfall of McLean. With Ricard ringing the changes in his bowling attack Calstock wickets fell regularly from this point and with no one able to establish themselves it fell to Pomeroy (41) to hold the innings together. James Boundy?s three wickets in four overs cost him twenty-six runs. Kevin Pethick (5-0-16-2) and Ross Chapman (6-0-40-1) shared the remaining wickets. With the score on 101-9 in the thirty-second over, Gunnislake?s fielders must have been looking forward to an early tea but this was not to be. Calstock?s final pair set about the tired bowling of the home side with relish. Rose, a visiting teacher from Australia, included three mighty sixes in his score of forty not out and he was supported ably by Chalk (14) who was the last to lose his wicket. At tea the score of 158 looked defensible, especially to a side with plenty of bowlers to choose from. Calstock?s bowling attack made life difficult for the Gunnislake batsmen right from the start and Mark Rundle (12-3-34-2) was soon among the wickets, bowling first Rooke and then K Pethick. Ricard (18) was next to go, one of three catches behind the stumps. It did seem however that wicketkeeper Brown was the only player who could hold a catch, with at least six straightforward chances going to ground. The nippy pace and accuracy from Rose (12-1-23-1) needed to be played with a straight bat, but gradually Danny Pethick (50) and James Boundy (37) established themselves at the crease and started to turn the match in Gunnislake?s favour. A couple of high scoring overs put the home side well ahead of the asking rate and looking the likely victors. However there were to be further twists in the tail and when Lusher took Pethick?s wicket with a fine diving catch at square leg it brought new batsmen to the crease and these found it difficult to get the ball away. Victory was only achieved with a scampered leg-bye on the penultimate ball of the innings. Gunnislake 20 points beat Calstock 8 points by 2 wickets.
