Gunnislake slid to a third consecutive defeat this week, being well beaten by Foxhole by 101 runs. With heavy rain overnight the match was in doubt, but Saturday ended up good weather and with the boundary brought in on one side the match was able to proceed. Back in the team for his first game of the season was Ian Dawe, recovering from injury and Ian Mill in only his third game after being given two new knees in the close season. Meanwhile the youngsters had headed off to watch Argyle play football!
Gunnislake won the toss and elected to bowl, hoping to bat on a drier track as the match progressed. Foxhole set off at a very sedate pace until their first scoring shot was a six over square leg from Josh Andrews. At the other end Simon Bunt kept careful watch. Runs came steadily but due to the parsimonious bowling of Lee Roberts (eleven runs from ten overs) the run rate stuck resolutely below three an over. Dinesh Thirupuvanarajah had the first breakthrough, bowling Andrews for 16. Sean Hicks, top scorer in the reverse fixture, took up the charge and the run rate crept up slightly. But two quick wickets after the mid-innings drinks break left the game neatly poised. The first of these fell to Ian Dawe, bowling Hicks, in his first over in 2023. However, a match changing partnership ensued as the two Charles, Cole and Jones began to pile on the runs. The breakthrough for Gunnislake finally came when Jones was caught in the covers for and Cole followed soon after, trying a second run to a mis-field, but failing to make his ground. The partnership had been worth 95 runs, with Cole top scoring with 47. In the quest for late runs wickets fell quickly with two more run outs and Mark Everett cashing in to claim four wickets in his best bowling performance of the season. The last pair batted out the final over for a maiden leaving Foxhole on 181 for 9 and four bonus points each.
Foxhole were probably favourites, but only just. Unfortunately Gunnislake’s brittle batting proved their Achilles heel once again. Star batsman Adam Emmerson missed a straight one and then run outs once again came to the fore. Stephen Lees ran two, while Kevin Beare ran one; Foxhole gleefully took the bails off at the bowler’s end as Beare fell on his sword in a fruitless effort to make his ground, falling two yards short. Andrew Dickerson and Dinesh Thirupuvanarajah came and went, until Ian Mill hung in with Lees. But the run rate was climbing and Foxhole were now strong favourites. When Lees was bowled the last six wickets fell for fourteen runs and Gunnislake folded with a wimper. Josh Andrews was the beneficiary, taking five wickets for seventeen runs. Gunnislake scraped a second batting point on reaching 80, but got no further, still 101 runs short.
Gunnislake take 6 points from the match, which at least is the same as if the match had been cancelled. But in truth it was another sub-standard performance. Together with three cancellations, it has been six weeks without a victory and at least one more win is required to ensure Division 5 safety. A trip to bottom of the table Tintagel next weekend has become a must win if Gunnislake are to retain their new status in Division 5.
Scores: Foxhole 181-9 (C Cole 47, C Jones 39; M Everett 4-60), Gunnislake 80 (S Lees 28; J Andrews 5-17, L Brown 3-19). Foxhole (19 points) beat Gunnislake (6 points) by 101 runs.