THE last game of the season for Tavistock Cricket Club saw a mixed first and second eleven take on the President's eleven.

President Eric Jarman asked Stuart Munday to captain a team made up of current and former Tavistock players and guests.

The match started with the President's opening pair Redman and Willcocks taking the score to 22 before Willcocks was caught by substitute fielder Mark Ewings.

This brought former Tavistock player John Gosling to the crease. They stroked the ball fluently, with Gosling's first three scoring strokes all going to the boundary. The 50 partnership came quickly and when Gosling was out for 38 off 35 balls the stand was worth 57 in 41 minutes.

Unfortunately for the President's team Redman quickly followed Gosling back to the pavilion and was the victim of a superb catch by John McGahey.

This brought two former players together who last played at Tavistock in the mid 80s. Keith Donahue from Plympton and the president's younger son, Robert, took the score to 113 and lunch.

The first over after lunch brought second team captain John Rich into the attack and he bowled Jarman in his first over. But Donahue was in no mood to surrender easily and stroked the ball all over the Ring. He was assisted by Dave Downham and Roger Whittingham, and reached 50 off 45 before being caught off the bowling of Rich for 72 off 60 balls.

The score stood at 193 with Munday looking for a total around 225 before the 46 overs ran out. The final partnership of captain Munday and president's older son Andrew duly obliged, putting on 34 in the final six overs, taking the total to 227.

John Rich was the pick of the Tavistock bowling with figures of 4 wickets for 36 runs off 8 overs.

Tavistock's reply started badly when Phil Stephens played around an in-swinger from Donahue in the third over. Tight bowling followed from Donahue and Gosling for the next ten overs, restricting Tavistock to 28 runs when a change of bowling enabled Keith Wilcocks to claim the wicket of Andy Rich in his first over.

This brought Steve Luffman to the crease, and with John McGahey 63 was put on before the president's team made the next breakthrough.

A misunderstanding saw McGahey make his way back to the pavilion, run out after Whittingham swooped at square leg leaving McGahey stranded in the middle of the wicket.

With Donahue out of the attack, returning figures of 8 overs 1 wicket for 12 runs, the batsmen were able to relax and Luffman reached his 50 off 65 balls.

Tavistock still had plenty to do and a partnership of 69 between Luffman and Kaitiff (33) gave them hope. Tavistock captain Dave Manning and Luffman took the score to 187 before Manning was lbw to Dave Downham.

Tavistock needed 41 off 5 overs and with 8 an over the President's team felt they had a glimmer of hope. It was left to captain Munday and Dave Dunham to bowl the final four overs.

The run rate still stood at eight an over and when Munday managed to limit his penultimate over to only five runs the pressure was even more on the home side. Tight bowling by Downham saw no boundaries come from his final over and the scene was set for a thrilling finish.

The Tavistock pair of Searle and Luffman needed 12 off the final over. Arnie Searle facing Munday's first ball dispatched it back past the bowler for 4.

Eight runs off five balls looked an easier task and a two off the next ball kept them on target, but when Munday managed a dot ball with the next delivery there was still a glimmer of hope for the president's team.

Six runs to win off three balls was a fitting end to an excellent game, and when Arnie Searle sent the fourth ball of Munday's final over sailing over the deep mid wicket boundary for six, Tavistock had clinched the match with two balls to spare.

TAVISTOCK'S season ended with the club's annual President's XI fixture and the season's presentations, following the success of the 1st XI on winning promotion to division 1 of the Devon League.

Awards — 1st XI batsman, David Manning; 1st XI bowler, Orin Roesstorff; 1st XI all rounder, Steve Nicholson; 1st XI player's player, Steve Nicholson/David Manning.

2nd XI batsman, Steve Johns: 2nd XI bowler: John Rich; 2nd XI all rounder, Brett Thomas; 2nd XI player's award, Sam Webber.

Maurice Avery trophy, Stuart Munday; Graham Castell trophy, John McGahey; Dot Avery trophy, Margaret Manning.