BUCKLAND Monochorum 1st XI saw their promotion dreams come to an end on Saturday, August 23, as they fell to a 69-run defeat away to Gorran, writes Jack May.

It was a second-against-third, must-win fixture for Adam Talbott’s moorland side in the Cornwall Cricket League Division Five East. A win would have lifted them above second place Gorran and into the final promotion spot.

Instead, it will be another season in the fifth tier of Cornish cricket. Buckland started brightly - Simon Hoad bowling opener Andrei Koranteng cleanly for six, leaving the home side 9-1 early on.

Tyrone Sarucan and Leo Constantine steadied Gorran’s ship for a while, knocking home a 45-run partnership, before Constantine fell for 34, bowled by Talbott. Sarucan, Dan Pascoe, and Andrew Constantine all broke the 20 mark before Gorran wickets began to fall rapidly.

Alex Rich and Dan Rogers cleaned up the final five wickets for a combined 26 runs, seeing Gorran bowled out for 164.

Unfortunately, Buckland then went on to struggle with the bat themselves. Harry Tredwin fell for four off the bowling of Jamie Tabb, leaving the side 10-1.

Jim Maunder scored 23 before Tabb struck again (49-2). Rogers and Talbott fell soon after, leaving the score at 52-4.

Ben Berry attempted to launch a fightback, picking up 23, but it wasn’t to be enough in the end. Buckland were all out for 95, torn apart by the bowling of Tabb and Oliver Matthews, who each picked up four wickets apiece.

At Lady Seaton Sportsfield, however, Buckland’s 2nd XI kept their promotion hopes alive - albeit faintly - following a 52-run victory over Launceston.

Promotion is still technically possible for Buckland but requires a loss next weekend from second place St Neot and/ or Tintagel in first.

It was the 125-run partnership put up by Darren Bartrop and Barney Prettejohn that stole the show, before Buckland eventually went on to put up a total of 237. It was Bartrop’s first half-century of the season, his 53 not out falling only 5 short of his career best.

Prettejohn, however put in the performance of a lifetime - literally. Turning 15 only a short while ago, the 73 - which included ten boundaries - he put up on Saturday is a career best at any level of cricket, youth or adult.

Buckland went on to perform just as well with the ball. An 89-run stand from Launceston opener Andrew Baker did have the home side feeling nervous at times as the score kept slowly ticking up, but once dispatched finally by Bertie Mcerlain, it was reasonably plain sailing from there.

Launceston’s young side struggled to deal with the more experienced heads in the Buckland line up; three ducks, two twos and two fives, with wickets picked up by Sam Houldsworth and Kev Osborne, as well as Bartrop and another for Mcerlain, saw the visitors eventually run out of overs on 185.

Next up for the seconds is a replay of this fixture, this time on Launceston’s home turf, Saturday 30th August. It is a must-win match for Buckland if they are to have any hope of gaining promotion to the sixth tier.

The firsts are at home, facing off against seventh-placed Newquay at Lady Seaton Sportsfield.