Playing catch-up after early season postponements, Gunnislake had a second double header weekend, winning both games to find themselves second in the table. A relatively comfortable win against Werrington was followed on Sunday be a really close match at Roche, where Gunnislake ultimately scrambled to a one wicket victory.
Hosting Werrington’s fourth team on Saturday Gunnislake won the toss and chose to bat. But a stuttering start had to be rescued by Joe Organ who hit 41 before being bowled by Tom Petherick. Captain Dinesh Thirupuvanarajah then took up the attack, but when he was out for 34 the Gunnislake score was a below par 138 for 6. Kevin Beare (18 not out) then expertly marshalled the tail, in what would prove to be valuable runs. Gunnislake closed on 164 all out, with four wickets each for Petherick and Jasper. On a difficult pitch with uneven bounce, this was a decent total, but less than had once looked possible.
Werrington began their reply with the experienced former first team player Nigel Dennis and Matthew Gilmour. They batted steadily and while behind the notional run rate, they rarely looked in trouble. Lee Roberts was his usual accurate miserly self with six maidens in his ten over spell, spoiled only in the last over which went for ten runs. Nevertheless Werrington were restricted to 58 off the first twenty overs, but importantly had all their wickets intact. The breakthrough came with the score on 64, when Gilmour fell to a sharp catch in the covers, well taken by Jake Beare. A mini collapse followed with Nigel Dennis the crucial wicket, caught at long-on by Russ Holloway for 41. By now the score was 88 for 4, the overs were running down and Gunnislake, on the back foot for much of the match were now favourites. At 92 for 6 it looked all over, but a late defiant knock from Werrington skipper Keith Moore took the score to 131 before he was eighth out for 28. From there the tail failed to wag and Werrington were all out for 135, handing victory to Gunnislake by 29 runs. The Werrington wickets were shared between Dean Organ and Kevin Beare (three each) and four for Joe Organ.
In the end it was a comfortable win for the home side. Werrington have a lot to look forward to with seven juniors in their team and a particularly good bowling side. Gunnislake secured 19 points while Werrington had to settle for 8.
Iconic Opticians Man of the Match: Joe Organ, for being both top scorer and leading wicket taker.
Gunnislake 168 (J Organ 41, D Thirupuvanarajah 34, K Beare 26no; T Jasper 4-32, T Petherick 4-38) Werrington IV 135 (N Dennis 41, K Moore 28, M Gilmour 26; J Organ 4-36, K Beare 3-7, D Organ 3-43). Gunnislake (19 points) beat Werrington (8 points) by 29 runs.
The next day saw a trip down to Roche, to play their third team, for what looked like an easy game on paper, but it turned out to be a nail-biter. In damp drizzle Roche were asked to bat and set off at a lively pace scoring at slightly over four an over. Fred Kertai was particularly aggressive, hitting 26, but wickets fell at regular intervals. The only other batsman to get set was Jolyon Walker, who scored well stepping across his stumps to hit the ball to leg. When he was run out for 27, hampered by a dicky hamstring, Dean Organ and Kevin Beare once again polished off the tail, leaving Roche all out for 128.
The Gunnislake reply also started at speed, with Joe Organ crashing four fours, before being well caught in the covers by Fred Kertai for 16. From there wickets tumbled, leaving Gunnislake perched precariously on 35 for 5. Stephen Lees, batting at six, dug in at one end while Kevin Beare at the other helped rebuild the innings. Runs accumulated steadily, including a six flicked over backward square by Beare. But just as the fifty partnership was secured Beare was caught at short extra cover to the delight of Roche. From 88 for 5 Gunnislake stuttered to 103 for 9. As last man Ian Dawe entered the fray Gunnislake were still twenty-six runs short. Roche seemed content to let Lees take a single and attack Dawe, while Gunnislake were happy to take every valuable run on offer. But Dawe had more ambitious ideas and hit a rapid 19, including two fours as Gunnislake scraped home by one wicket. Lees remained unbeaten on 31. Pick of the Roche bowlers were opener Toby Pritchard (3-30) and Mick Cutlan with his gentle flighted off-breaks (3-16).
The match was played in good spirit throughout, with the result in doubt until the end. But Gunnislake found a way to win, to take 18 points from the match, while Roche gained 7. Roche remain anchored to the foot of the table, but on this performance deserve to be higher. Gunnislake rise to second in the table.
Iconic Opticians Man of the Match: Stephen Lees for leading The Great Escape!
Roche Old Boys III 128 (J Walker 27, F Kertai 26; I Dawe 3-36) Gunnislake 132 for 9 (S Lees 31no; M Cutlan 3-16, T Pritchard 3-30). Gunnislake (18 points) beat Roche (7 points) by 1 wicket.
