Buckland’s 1st XI’s promotion dreams were kept alive on Saturday with a dominant display at St Minver.

This key win comes ahead of a vital second-against-third fixture next week with Gorran, who picked up a massive 240 run win this weekend over Grampound.

Simon Hoad was the main man with the ball this weekend, picking up 4 wickets in his 10 overs at a rate of 3.40 as St Minver were bowled out for 107 in 25.3 overs. Alex Rich and captain Adam Talbott picked up two apiece, with Toby Halloran also getting on the board with an lbw.

There were signs of a fightback from St Minver. After openers Jake Keast and Neil Kent were seen off for 8 and 0 respectively, wicketkeeper Steven Hawke and captain Charlie Edwards managed to pick up 69 between them (32 & 37) but it wasn’t to be enough for the home side.

After Rich and Talbott had dispatched of them, Hoad went on to take Andy Cameron, Kai McAuley, and Alex Kerr for 1, 1, and 0.

It was then time for most of the boys to put their feet up, as Jim Maunder and Ben Berry took up their batting duties. A season-second half-century from Berry (52 from 49), helped along by a Maunder 37 (53) and a fair few extras saw Buckland meet their target in 17.1 overs, picking up the full 20 points in the process and setting up a nail-biting promotion chasing clash next weekend.

It was a different story and a rather more difficult afternoon for the 2nd XI, however, as they fell to a 5 wicket defeat at home to St Neot in their very own second-against-third fixture this weekend.

In a situation eerily similar to the firsts, Buckland 2’s started this game 8 points off the final promotion spot.

A win would have seen them do what the firsts are hoping to achieve next week, and leapfrog their rivals into second. But it was not to be.

St Neot won the toss and elected to field first, sending Sam Houldsworth and Gary Elkington out to bat.

Elkington found himself in five different partnerships as St Neot’s Michael Drown caused Buckland wickets to tumble in rapid fashion. Houldsworth, Dan Elkington, Mike Aldred and youngster Barney Prettejohn were all seen off by the big left hander as Buckland fell to 37-4.

Alex Fishley helped to steady the ship somewhat alongside Elkington as the two launched a 45 run partnership, before Elkington eventually fell for 47 from 55 taking Buckland’s total to a more respectable 82-5.

Fishley hung around a little longer, adding another 12 in partnership with Jack May, before being caught and bowled by Ted Dyer (94-6). Dyer then dispatched May shortly after on 10 from 23 (95-7). Kev Osborne followed not long after as Stephen Rowe picked up his second lbw of the innings.

Bertie Mcerlain tried to launch his own fightback, picking up a quickfire 17 from 15, and Darren Bartop did his best to keep the side batting to the very last ball, picking up a slow and steady 6 from 25, but the St Neot bowling attack was just too strong on the day and Buckland were bowled all out for 127.

Buckland will be desperate to bounce back and keep their promotion hopes alive next week against bottom of the league Launceston.